WorldStage Newsonline– Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday called on the members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and other appointees of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to rally round the president to salvage the country.
The spokesperson of the vice-president, Stanley Nkwocha in a statement, said Shettima spoke when he received a high-powered presidential delegation in Kano to condole with him over the loss of his mother-in-law.
The vice-president , who reiterated the president’s genuine leadership, maintained that Tinubu meant well for the nation.
He said, ” I want to register my sincere gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for sending such a high-level delegation to condole with us over the sad demise of our mother. That portrays the purity of heart and empathy of the President.”
” I wish to call on all of us to rally round him and see to it that we salvage this nation together.
” It’s not a game of apportioning blame. It’s a game of making this country work and if Nigeria works, Africa works. No matter how long the night is, it must give way to the light of dawn.
” We are facing security challenges across this country, but the President is determined to redefine the meaning and concept of modern leadership and determined to address the problem of insecurity facing the entire nation.”
Shettima while praising Tinubu’s goodwill toward the region said the President is not working against the interests of Northern Nigeria, citing the appointment of the two Ministers of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Chairman of Police Service Commission, among others, all from the North, as evidence of the president’s commitment to the region’s growth.
He, therefore,urged Nigerians to support Tinubu’s efforts to make Nigeria great, emphasizing that governance transcends political party affiliations.
Shettima stressed that the country’s unity and progress were more important than party differences.
He cited the support he received from the Kano State Government, led by Gov. Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), during his time of bereavement.
Shettima said that the country has moved beyond politics and was now in the act of governance, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to achieve greatness.
He reminded that Nigeria’s greatness was a collective responsibility, and that political party affiliations should not be a yardstick for division and destruction.
The vice-president called for unity and cooperation among all the political parties, saying that ensuring Nigeria’s greatness was a collective responsibility.
He expressed profound gratitude to the government and people of Kano State for hosting him and members of his family for the past three days.
“Everyone that has come here is welcomed by the Governor. We have gone beyond politics. We are now in the phase of governance and what binds us together triumphs whatever that divides us,” he added.
On arrival in Kano, the delegation led by Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, was received by Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano.
While delivering the president’s condolence message to Shettima, Gbajabiamila said Tinubu felt saddened about the passing of Shettima’s mother-in-law and sent his deepest sympathy and prayers.
” The President has sent us to commiserate with you and your family. He sends his best wishes, his prayers, his thoughts to you and your wife and the entire family of the deceased.
” Mr President has asked that we convey to you his deepest sympathy and his prayers that the Almighty Allah grant our mother Aljannah Firdaus and forgive her sins.
” It’s indeed saddening that she died. We commiserate with you on behalf of Mr President, on behalf of the government and on behalf of his cabinet and the whole federal government of Nigeria,” he said.
Other members of the delegation included the Minister for Budget and National Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu; Minister of Transport, Sen. Sa’idu Alkali and the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Alhaji Abdullahi Gwarzo, among others.
