Vice President Kashim Shettima has said only six of the 19 northern governors supported President Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition during the 2023 election.   Shettima made the disclosure at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, during the turbaning of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of Ilorin Emirate. According to the Vice President, the political tension surrounding the 2023 presidential campaign and election was intense, but Tinubu remained determined to pursue his ambition. “You all know that we have 19 states in the North; out of these, only six actually believed and supported Tinubu, but Tinubu refused to be deterred,” Shettima said. He added that several obstacles were placed in Tinubu’s way, including opposition linked to former President Muhammadu Buhari. Shettima recalled the slogan, “Baba bayan sushi,” which he said reflected opposition to Tinubu’s candidacy at the time. Despite the political resistance, the Vice President said Tinubu continued with his presidential bid and eventually secured victory in the 2023 election. Shettima also urged politicians to reconcile after political contests, saying politics should not be treated as a “game of death”. He said Tinubu had embraced and forgiven northern governors who did not support him during the 2023 election, describing this as a demonstration of leadership. The Vice President subsequently urged politicians in Kwara State to close ranks after the All Progressives Congress primaries and emulate what he described as Tinubu’s accommodating approach to political differences. Shettima also spoke about the economic challenges inherited by the Tinubu administration, stating that the Federal Government inherited $3.9 billion in the kitty. He said the administration’s economic team nevertheless continued with its efforts to turn the economy around. The Vice President had earlier inaugurated the state’s Revenue House on Ahmadu Bello Way and a garment factory in Ilorin.