By Adegboyega Adeleye
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has questioned whether African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar can unite Nigeria, claiming the former Vice-President lacks political consensus in his home state of Adamawa.
Shettima made the claim while campaigning for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election at the APC presidential campaign rally in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Wednesday, setting up a contrast between what he described as weak opposition support in Adamawa and Anambra and the broad backing for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo.
The Vice president argued that the political alignments in the three states showed the difference between the opposition’s position and the support Tinubu had gathered for his re-election bid while noting that former vice president Atiku had not secured the backing of any of Adamawa’s five governors since the return to democracy in 1999.
“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 prominent politicians in the state whom he said were not aligned with the ADC candidate.
“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.”
Shettima also cited the political divisions in Adamawa as evidence, saying they raised questions about Atiku’s ability 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 contrasted his account of the opposition’s support in Adamawa with the turnout for Tinubu in Ondo, describing it as a demonstration of backing for the President’s re-election.
“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 affirmed.
Shettima also criticised National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi over his attempt to welcome the victorious Flamingos, Nigeria’s U-17 women’s football team, at Abuja airport on Monday.
“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 support in Anambra, asking whether former governors Chris Ngige and Willie Obiano, or incumbent Governor Charles Soludo, were aligned with him.
“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 Tinubu’s support in the state as a broad political consensus, citing former Governor Olusegun Mimiko, lawyer Olushola Oke and members of the late Governor Adebayo Adefarati’s family.
““And for the people of Ondo, as we are talking, there is a universal elite consensus marking the president here in Ondo. Former Governor Olusegun Mimiko is firmly on board. The last opponent, very popular Olushola Oke SAN, is here in alignment with the president’s ambition,”
“Even the son of late Governor of Ondo State, Bayo Adefarati, who represents Akoko Southeast and Akoko Southwest. The son former Governor Adebayo Adefarati is in alignment with the APC, which indicates that the whole family is within the same APC family. There has to any bargain, there has to be any consensus behind any progressive movement,” he said.”
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