Vice-President Kashim Shettima has questioned the ability of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to unite Nigeria, arguing that the former Vice-President has failed to secure political consensus in his home state of Adamawa.
Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday while campaigning for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential rally in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
He contrasted what he described as weak opposition support in Adamawa and Anambra with the backing Tinubu has received from political figures in Ondo State.
The Vice-President claimed that none of the five governors who have governed Adamawa since the return to democracy in 1999 had aligned with Atiku’s political ambition.
“Our political opponents can conduct political rallies on Facebook and on Instagram, but for somebody who cannot build a consensus at the home front, Atiku Abubakar is from Adamawa State. He has been unable to build a lead consensus, even in his own Adamawa State,” Shettima said.
“Of all the five governors that have ever ruled Adamawa State in the current dispensation—from Mr Boni Haruna to Vice Admiral Murtala Hamman-Yero Nyako to Barrister Bala James Ngilari to Senator Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla (Bindow) to Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri none of these governors and former governors are in alignment with Atiku Abubakar.”
He also listed former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; former SGF Babachir Lawal; and Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, popularly known as Binani, among prominent Adamawa politicians he claimed were not supporting Atiku.
“All the political mavericks in Adamawa State, from the former SGF Boss Gidahyelda Mustapha to Engineer Babachir David Lawal, to Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (Binani), and all the major political actors in Adamawa State, are not in alignment with Atiku,” he said.
Shettima further cited the emergence of multiple governorship candidates in Adamawa as evidence of divisions within the opposition, questioning Atiku’s capacity to unite the country.
“And right now, he has three gubernatorial candidates in Adamawa. So someone who cannot unite his own state, I wonder how he is going to unite and drive the nation as a whole,” he said.
The Vice-President then praised the turnout at the APC rally in Ondo, describing it as evidence of support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“Here in Ondo, Ondo, the game is over. This is a shutdown. Nothing less is expected from Ondo, and we remain eternally grateful to the people of Ondo for the massive turnout and support accorded to Mr President,” he said.
Shettima Again Criticises Obi
Shettima also criticised the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his attempt to welcome Nigeria’s victorious Under-17 women’s football team, the Flamingos, at the Abuja airport on Monday.
He accused Obi of disregarding protocol in what he described as an attempt to attract public attention.
“And you know, it is cheap to vie for the presidency of Nigeria, especially for those like my big friend Peter Obi, who think clout chasing like he went out of protocol to welcome our young victorious Flamingos, the female footballers and teams. You just must have grassroots and stakeholder support,” Shettima said.
He also questioned Obi’s political backing in Anambra State, asking whether former governors Chris Ngige and Willie Obiano, as well as incumbent Governor Chukwuma Soludo, supported his presidential ambition.
“When the president says he ran away from erosion, believe me, he did. But then, how many of the first governors of Anambra are with him? Is Chris Ngije with him? The answer is no. Is Willie Obiano with him? The answer is no. Is my friend Charles Chukuma Soludo with him? The answer is no,” he said.
Returning to Ondo, Shettima described the support for Tinubu in the state as a broad political consensus, citing former Governor Olusegun Mimiko, lawyer Olushola Oke and members of the family of late Governor Adebayo Adefarati.
He said Mimiko and Oke were aligned with Tinubu’s re-election ambition, adding that the son of the late governor, who represents Akoko South-East and Akoko South-West, was also supporting the APC.
Shettima argued that the support of prominent political figures and their allies showed the level of consensus behind Tinubu’s re-election bid.
