I Can’t Play Politics When My Girls Are In Captivity – Shettima

Borno State governor Kashim Shettima, yesterday said the rescue of the 219 abducted Chibok schoolgirls remained his major concern and not politics. The governor had explained in a press statement issued by his spokesman, Isa Umar Gusau that it was due to his concern for the abducted girls who had been in the captivity of the Boko Haram for over two months that he chose to stay away from the convention venue of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). The governor said though he valued the convention as one of the most crucial exercises that must take place for the sustenance of Nigeria’s nascent democracy, the reality of the poor girls who are held somewhere in the forest for over 60 days tops his major worries for now. “Governor Kashim Shettima had on Saturday stayed away from the Eagle Square, venue of All Progressives Congress’ national convention as a mark of respect to victims of series of Boko Haram attacks in Borno State that include families of those killed across the state.” The statement reads, “He also chose to honour parents who have remained in despair following the abduction of about 200 schoolgirls at Government Secondary School, Chibok on April 14, 2014 by Boko Haram members. “The governor considers the convention as a legitimate democratic process that must hold in defiance of the antics of the insurgents whose desire is to suspend and replace liberal and constitutional democracy with violent doctrines that have no religious backing. But he opted to stay away from convention so as not offend the sensibilities of victims of the serial attacks in Borno State”. Gusau said though Shettima was represented at the convention by his able deputy, Zannah Umar Mustapha, “he fully shares the aspirations and vision of the APC which is to transform Nigeria. And he believes the leaders and members of the APC have Borno at heart and sincerely share the grief of Borno people which was why governors of the party visited the state and made a humanitarian donation of N200million in 2013 in addition to other forms of solidarity regularly extended to Borno.