The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has explained why he chose the former governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate in the 2023 presidential election.

Tinubu, who met with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday, said the choice of Shettima was strategic not religious.

Explaining to the CAN leadership Tinubu said, “Choosing a Christian running mate would have been easy but that is not the case.

“My choice of Shettima is borne out of the urgent need to address the challenges facing the country and Shettima possesses strong leadership abilities which he exhibited when he was the governor of Borno State. I wanted a progressive government that was why I selected Shettima.

“We have urgent challenges that do not depend on religious leanings but on the best of hands that can address it,” he added.

Tinubu, who attended the meeting with his wife, Remi, assured the leaders of the association that the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC would not be a problem.

The presidential candidate added that he would replicate what he did in Lagos at the federal level by working in the interest of everyone.

He said, “I seek to become Nigeria’s president not on religious grounds but on the constitution. Thanks to the body for the invitation to candidates to speak on their plans for the nation.

“I believe in the need for a secular government and for us to work in the interest of the country just as I did in Lagos State. I partnered with the Christians to improve lives and foster education. I returned missionary schools to the rightful owners, most of which were Christians.”

Also present at the meeting were running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima; Speaker of the House of Representatives; Femi Gbajabiamila; Deputy Senate Leader Senator Boroffice Ajayi, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Kalu and Minister of Special Duties, Senator George Akume, among others.