Vice-President Kashim Shettima has dismissed the presidential credentials of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general elections.
This was just as he claimed the former Anambra State governor has nothing to offer Nigerians beyond citing economic statistics.
Shettima made the remarks at an event in Abuja on Monday, where he urged members of Nigeria’s economic community to support the Federal Government’s policies and defended the removal of the petrol subsidy.
“I respect Peter Obi for having the courage to say he’s not going to restore the petrol subsidy, but beyond spouting some statistics, Mr Peter Obi has absolutely nothing to offer,” the vice-president said.
He accused Obi of relying heavily on economic figures and called on prominent members of the country’s economic community to support the administration.
“He was surviving on various statistics. So, I call on you, the crème de la crème of the Nigerian economic community, to support us,” Shettima added.
The vice-president also compared petrol prices in Nigeria with those in neighbouring countries, arguing that the figures illustrated the implications of the country’s previous fuel pricing arrangements.
According to him, a litre of petrol sells for approximately N1,148.36 in Niger Republic, N1,729.29 in Benin Republic and N1,945.50 in Cameroon, compared with N1,390 in Nigeria.
“What is the price of fuel in our neighbouring communities? A few years ago, Nigeria was consuming around 67 million litres of fuel per day,” he said.
“The comparison is wide. Nigeria was Christmas for other African countries,” Shettima added.
His comments come amid renewed political exchanges over the Federal Government’s economic policies ahead of the elections, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and its impact on the cost of living.
Obi has consistently criticised aspects of the administration’s economic management, advocating fiscal discipline, transparency, accountability and more responsible public spending.
Shettima’s latest remarks also echo his previous criticism of Obi, whom he described as a “master of bogus statistics” during a political event in Abuja.
Meanwhile, the NDC has criticised Tinubu over his recent claim that opposition parties created hunger and poverty in Nigeria, insisting that the president should focus on addressing the economic hardship facing citizens.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief in response to Tinubu’s comments at a political gathering in Kaduna over the weekend.
Director questioned whether the president was suggesting that hunger began only after his administration took office nearly three years ago.
“Is he saying that the hunger started in the last three years? Because he was also the person who said that hunger has always been with us,” the NDC spokesman said.
He argued that the administration should concentrate on finding solutions to the country’s economic problems rather than blaming opposition parties for the situation.
Director maintained that even if the opposition were responsible for the hardship, the sitting government would still have a duty to address it.
“Assuming, but not conceding, that the opposition created hunger, his business and responsibility is to eliminate hunger, because that is why he told Nigerians he’s ‘Emi Lokan’,” he said.
The NDC spokesman further claimed that Tinubu’s remarks showed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had little to present to Nigerians as achievements ahead of the 2027 elections.
“It has shown that the APC has no achievement to campaign with,” Director added.
