Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Peter Obi Media Office, has criticised Vice-President Kashim Shettima over his description of the presidential candidate of the New Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, as “diminished,” urging political leaders to focus on candidates’ records, policies and ideas rather than personal attacks.
In a statement by its spokesman, Idris Zekeri Jnr, the media office described the remark as inconsistent with the standards of political engagement expected of leaders, particularly at a time when political parties are positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election.
The office took exception to what it considered a contrast between Shettima’s call for Northerners to respect former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, an opposition figure, and his description of Obi, another opposition leader.
“Although Shettima has the right to oppose Obi, it is difficult to understand why he would demand respect for one opposition leader while casually dismissing another,” the statement said.
It added that political disagreements should not prevent public officials from recognising the contributions and political standing of their opponents.
“As a man of great decency, our candidate has conducted his campaign professionally and decorously. He has consistently focused his remarks on issues and has neither discussed nor used abusive language against anyone,” it said.
The statement also drew attention to the records of Obi and Shettima as former governors of Anambra and Borno States, arguing that their performances should be assessed against verifiable evidence rather than political rhetoric.
“However, Obi’s performance in Anambra State across key areas of governance surpassed Shettima’s record in Borno State, as demonstrated by performance statistics and the awards he received,” the office said.
It cited Obi’s record in fiscal management and investments in education and healthcare as areas that, in its view, distinguished his administration.
The office, however, did not provide comparative statistics in the statement to substantiate its assessment of the two former governors’ performances.