Vice-President Kashim Shettima has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over what he described as disrespectful comments about President Bola Tinubu, saying anyone seeking the presidency must show discipline and respect for public institutions.
Shettima spoke on Wednesday at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 election.
In his remarks, Shettima said Atiku’s repeated presidential bids and recent policy proposals did not, in his view, excuse language he considered disrespectful toward the sitting president. He also questioned how Atiku’s proposed production subsidies would be funded.
“Those who want equity must come with clean hands. You can call him Bola. If you like, you can call him Adekunle. But the truth is that he is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Atiku Abubakar. I will still respect him and call him former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
“I will not follow suit with the maverick Babachir Lawal and call him Kachalla, no. But believe me, Atiku Abubakar, who has contested for the presidency of this country for the eighth time, is no Abraham Lincoln. He is more of Oginga Odinga.”
Shettima framed his criticism as an argument about the conduct expected of presidential contenders, saying the higher the office sought, the greater the responsibility candidates bear in their words and dealings with public institutions.
“The presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not an ordinary political prize. It is the highest expression of constitutional authority in our country. And those who aspire to occupy it must demonstrate, even before they get there, the qualities they will expect of themselves, if entrusted with the responsibility of leading more than 200 million Nigerians.
“Political ambition is not merely the desire to occupy public office. It is a test of character, cerebral strength, intellectual maturity, and responsibility. The higher the office a person seeks, the greater the discipline expected in his words, conduct, and relationship with public institutions,” he added.
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Turning to Atiku’s proposal on production subsidies, Shettima questioned the cost and the competing priorities that might be affected.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, this political season has become a masterclass in cinematic comedy. Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal for production subsidies raises questions that some changes cannot answer. Who pays? Who benefits? And which competing priorities must surrender their funding? A change in ideological wardrobe cannot balance a national budget.”
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council inauguration, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, formally brought the expanded campaign structure into focus as the ruling party prepared for the 2027 general election.
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