Senate: 15 candidates withdraw for Shettima

Candidates of 15 political parties for Borno Central Senatorial district, yesterday, unanimously endorsed Governor Kashim Shettima who is also in the race on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The candidates said they took decision in view of their conviction that “no one has acquired the kind of experience necessary to represent Borno Central in terms of understanding the demands of the military’s operational efforts, the existing gaps, the humanitarian issues and the next phase of rebuilding the state like Governor Shettima.”

The chairman, forum of candidates for Borno Central, AbdulKadir Fema, of Action Peoples Party (APP), read a position paper on behalf of 14 others at a press conference held at the Inter-party Advisory Council’s office in Maiduguri.

Fema was supported by 10 candidates including those of Action Peoples Party (PPA), Better Nigeria Progressives Party (BNPP), Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), New Progressive Movement (NPM), Yes Electorate Solidarity (YES), Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN), Nigerian Elements Progressive Party (NEPP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Nigeria Community Movement Party (NCMP), Coalition for Change (C4C), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP), Independent Democrats (ID) and Democratic Alliance (DA).

There were 20 candidates vying in the Borno Central Senatorial election before 15 of them dropped their ambition in favour of Shettima who is rounding off his second term in office as governor.

According to Fema, “We are so confident that Kashim Shettima will, Insha Allah, represent Borno as much and even better than the way we intended to do. Allah has, by making him governor during Borno’s challenging years, afforded him a superior advantage that the people of Borno stand to gain from his potentially efficient representation as the next senator for Borno Central senatorial zone.

“We shall be willing to pass to him our suggestions with the hope they will further enrich his representation of our people. We thank members of our respective parties and supporters for accepting our unanimous position that is in the best interest of Borno State.

“We appeal to all of them and the entire electorate of Borno Central Senatorial zone to cast their votes for the APC in favour of Alhaji Kashim Shettima,” he said.