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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has questioned former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s political relevance in his home state of Adamawa, declaring that none of the five governors produced by the state since the return to democracy in 1999 is currently aligned with his presidential ambition.
Shettima, who made the assertion while addressing political leaders and supporters at a rally in Akwa Ibom State, said the former governors and incumbent Governor Ahmadu Fintiri were instead supporting President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He listed former Governors Boni Haruna, Bala Ngilari, Murtala Nyako and Bindow Jibrilla, alongside the incumbent, as political leaders in Adamawa, who were not backing Atiku.
“If you cannot command support in your own state; if you are not relevant in your own state, how can you be relevant elsewhere?” he asked.
The vice president challenged Atiku to identify any former governor he had elevated to lasting political prominence and who was now committed to his political project.
Shettima argued that political leadership should be measured not merely by the positions occupied or years spent in public office, but by the institutions strengthened, leaders mentored and political structures built to endure beyond an individual’s influence.
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Taking a swipe at Atiku’s presidential ambition, he said the presidency was neither a retirement benefit nor a reward for longevity in politics.
He noted that since Tinubu left office as Lagos State governor in 2007, Babatunde Fashola, Akinwunmi Ambode and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had successively governed the state, and are publicly supporting the president’s reelection bid.
Shettima said issues of accountability, transparency and national interest could not be ignored as Atiku seeks the presidency again.
He also criticised Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, saying he had run himself out of political relevance.
The vice president praised Tinubu’s leadership of the APC, describing the party as a political platform capable of accommodating Nigerians across different backgrounds.
