Babachir’s Panel Recommended Shettima, 10 Others To Tinubu

A committee headed by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, allegedly recommended Kashim Shettima and ten others as running mate nominees to Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Naija News reports that Tinubu had on Sunday unveiled Shettima as his running mate while speaking with reporters after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina State.

In a chat with Daily Trust on Wednesday, a member of the Planning and Strategy Committee of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation (TCO) said the recommendation was contained in a report of a sub-committee chaired by Senator Grace Folasade Bent.

He said the Senator Bent sub-committee was under the supervision of the main committee chaired by the former SGF.

Another member of the committee told Daily Trust that the final report of the committee was concluded on Tuesday last week and submitted to Tinubu electronically.

He said the committee’s report passed through Lawal before getting to the APC Presidential candidate.

He disclosed that Lawal also travelled to London on Wednesday to submit the hard copy of the recommendations to the former Governor of Lagos State.

The APC chieftain said it was after Tinubu received the report that he travelled back to Nigeria, where he announced the name of Shettima as his choice for running mate on Sunday.

He said the decision to pick Shettima was in line with the committee’s recommendation, insisting that Tinubu worked with the guidance provided.

“In arriving at our recommendation, we looked at all persuasions, including religion, gender, and acceptability. We looked at those who can add value to the ticket.

“He was part of the decision, and the report got to the presidential candidate through him.

“First, we sent the soft copy of our report to Asiwaju before BD Lawal took the hard copy to him in London last Wednesday,” he said.

He revealed that the committee’s report showed that a Muslim-Muslim ticket would give Tinubu “guaranteed victory” and listed many Muslims for consideration.

The committee member added that the report weighed the merits and demerits of Muslim-Christian and Muslim-Muslim tickets for the APC candidate.

He added that report highlighted the implications of possible apathy and protest from the Christian community in the event of the adoption of a Muslim running mate.

Members of the committee included Senator Magnus Abe; pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu; Senator Abu Ibrahim; Senator Bent; Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo; Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, Rep Abiodun Faleke, Rep Musa Sarkin-Adar, among others.