By Femi Ogunshola
Sen. Kashim Shettima, vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 election said in Abuja on Saturday that people must be alive to vote.
He was reacting to questions from newsmen who wanted to know what would happen to potential voters whose Permanent Voter Cards were lost to recent floods across the country.
“Beyond the issue of voter’s card, people have to be alive for them to cast their votes.
“It is very disheartening and unfortunate that we lost lives and property to the floods,’’ Shetima said at the unveiling of the national campaign headquarters of Hadizatu Uwani Mustapha (HUM) APC national support group.
“We sympathise with victims; we were in Damaturu on Friday to commiserate with flood victims.’’ he said.
Shettima said, however, that he is just a member of the political party, and that political parties should be allowed to play their role appropriately in that regard.
Commending HUM, Shettima said: “words cannot adequately convey our depth of gratitude for all the sacrifices you have made in mobilising men and resources for the party.
“This is to ensure that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and I win the election and be sworn in as president and vice-president in 2023.’’
He said all hands must be on deck to ensure victory.
“I thank HUM sincerely from the depth of my heart for her commitment, passion and empathy for our course,’’ he stressed.
In her remarks, Mrs Hadizatu Mustapha, chairperson, HUM national support group said no nation would record growth and development except with competent and courageous leadership.
She said the APC had taken the right step in the choice of its presidential candidate in the person of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima.
She said also that the APC would attract massive votes based on the wide acceptance of the presidential candidate and his running mate across the country.
“HUM national support group has initiated this move to unveil this edifice to house our operations to help us to translate our energies and expertise to deliver our candidates across board come 2023 general elections,’’ she said.
She said the group had no doubt that Shettima would deploy his energies, competences and critical thinking to complement that of his principal in furtherance of the vision set to change the tide of Nigeria.
This according to her is encapsulated in the agenda entitled “Hope Renewed’’ of the candidates.
“Our faith is tied to hard work and not luck.
“We should, therefore, set out to do our best in the interest of posterity so that the next generation after us shall be proud of us,’’ Mustapha said. (NAN)
