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Defends Tinubu’s reforms, cites 4.2% growth; says opposition must offer credible alternatives
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Vice President Kashim Shettima has taken aim at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, questioning their economic prescriptions and readiness to lead Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election.
Shettima argued that Nigeria’s size, population and economic realities made it unsuitable for policies copied from other countries without adapting them to local circumstances.
He also defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, insisting that the administration must be given time to consolidate its policies and translate their gains into jobs, improved livelihoods and stronger public services.
The Vice-President spoke at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, where he urged members to defend the administration’s record with facts, organisation and measurable results rather than engage in political insults.
Taking a swipe at Obi’s reliance on foreign economic comparisons, Shettima said: “A country of over 250 million people cannot be governed through borrowed statistics and economic prescriptions detached from its peculiarities.”
He added that policies that worked in Bangladesh could not simply be transplanted to Nigeria without considering differences in population, economic structures, institutions and national circumstances.
“I respect Peter Obi. But he has gone beyond his mastery of philosophy to make an august claim about winning the 2023 presidential election without adducing a shred of evidence to buttress his assertion,” Shettima said.
He described Obi as “the master of bogus statistics and incoherent economic prescriptions”, while comparing the challenge of applying foreign policies to Nigeria to trying to fit a garment designed for a smaller body onto a much larger one.
The vice president also took a swipe at Atiku, who has repeatedly sought the presidency, saying political ambition must be matched by character, discipline and an understanding of the responsibilities attached to public office.
Shettima, however, said political opponents should be treated with respect, describing them as fellow Nigerians rather than enemies.
“For the rest of the duration of this campaign, we’ll discuss ideas, we’ll discuss policies, but we’ll treat all our opponents with respect and dignity. They are not our enemies. They are our brothers. They are our countrymen. They are our leaders,” he said.
He warned APC campaigners against being drawn into exchanges of insults, urging them instead to respond to criticism with evidence and reason.
“We have the capacity to respond to all sorts of innuendos and outright lies that our political opponents are taking on. But we won’t fall into their traps. We’ll give them facts. We’ll give them statistics. We argue with reason, not with sentiments, not with exaggerated truth or fabricated lies,” he said.
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Shettima said the Tinubu administration had inherited an economy facing severe fiscal pressures and had taken difficult decisions, including removing the petrol subsidy and addressing distortions in the foreign exchange market.
He argued that the reforms were necessary to address longstanding economic challenges, while acknowledging the responsibility to ensure that their benefits reached Nigerians.
“The next obligation is to turn these gains into jobs, meaningful earnings and meaningful planning,” he said.
The Vice-President cited economic growth of 4.2 per cent in the first half of 2026 as evidence of progress under the administration, although he acknowledged that improved economic indicators must translate into tangible benefits for citizens.
He maintained that the administration’s priority should be to protect the reforms, improve their implementation and ensure that public resources deliver results for households and businesses.
“We must protect the reforms, improve their execution, and carry their benefits from the treasury to the household,” Shettima said.
He argued that Tinubu deserved a second term because the administration’s reform programme had gained momentum which, in his view, the country could not afford to squander.
“President Tinubu deserves a second term because the work has acquired momentum that Nigeria cannot afford to squander,” he said.
Shettima urged members of the Presidential Campaign Council to take the administration’s case to communities across the country, listen to voters and explain its policies and achievements.
“Every committee of the Presidential Campaign Council must earn its place through hard work. Every community must hear our case,” he said.
He added that the campaign’s appeal to Nigerians in 2027 must be backed by evidence of competence and a credible plan for the country’s future.
“Our appeal in 2027 must therefore be worthy of the confidence we sought in 2022. We chose a leader capable of building beyond himself. We must now secure the time for those foundations to serve generations beyond us,” he said.
The vice president said the ultimate objective should be to build stronger institutions and ensure that the sacrifices associated with economic reforms produced lasting benefits for future generations.
