Kashim Shettima, the vice-presidential candidate for Nigeria’s ruling APC party, has stated that its director, tinubou ballis healthier than he is, putting aside concerns that the party’s presidential candidate is not healthy enough to run the country.
Shettima said this last week on a Facebook Live show, Fashin Baki, hosted by public commentators, Bulama Bukarti, Nasir Zango, Abba Hikima and Jaafar Jaafar.
The former Borno governor said he and Tinubu are the best options for Nigerians in next month’s elections.
Shettima said their records as former governors have shown they are credible candidates. Shettima ruled Borno State for eight years (2011 to 2019), while Tinubu ruled Lagos for eight years (1999 to 2007).
There have been concerns among Nigerians about Mr Tinubu’s state of health with many arguing that he regularly seeks medical treatment abroad, is inconsistent with his speeches and sometimes has shaky hands, which some claim is a symptom of Parkinson’s disease.
However, Shettima said that its director is healthy enough to lead Nigeria.
“Let me tell you clearly that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is safe and sound. Politics aside, he is physically and mentally fit to be president of Nigeria.
“Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is even healthier than me because I have diabetes and high blood pressure, which he doesn’t. Even the early Parkinson’s disease that people were talking about is just lack of sleep,” Shettima, 56, said on the Hausa show.
He said the amount of work Tinubu has had to do for campaigns has prevented him from getting enough sleep, adding that once Tinubu, 70, gets enough sleep, he will be physically and mentally well.
“Leadership is not like the unskilled job of carrying sacks of cement,” Shettima added. “It’s more of a mental job than a physical one.”
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He mentioned that former US Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Daniel Arap Moi of the US, Algeria and Kenya respectively led their countries to economic prosperity in wheelchairs.
“The most important thing is his records and his intellectual faculty, which I think is strong enough to take Nigeria forward.”
The former Governor of Borno also spoke about APC’s plan to revitalize Nigeria’s education sector, agriculture and youth development.
On the continuity in the government, he said that they will continue the legacy of President Muhammadu Buhari and said that the northern region will not be left out of the administration’s development projects.
Tinubu is one of 18 candidates seeking to replace Buhari as president when the latter completes his second term on May 29, 2023.
Among the 18, Tinubu and three others are considered the top contenders. The other three are Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, Peter Obi of the Labor Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP.
The presidential elections will be held on February 25.
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