The Presidency has firmly refuted circulating claims suggesting that Vice President Kashim Shettima compared President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s intervention in the Rivers State political crisis with former President Goodluck Jonathan’s actions during his tenure. It described such narratives as deliberate distortions meant to fuel unnecessary controversy.
In a statement released on Friday, July 11, 2025, by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), the Presidency condemned as false and mischievous the insinuation that Vice President Shettima had criticised President Tinubu’s recent handling of the Rivers State situation.
According to the statement, the misrepresentation arose from remarks made by Vice President Shettima during the public presentation of the book “OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block,” authored by Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), held at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
The Vice President, the statement explained, had referenced how, during the peak of insurgency in the North-East, the Jonathan administration once contemplated removing him—then Governor of Borno State—from office.
His recollection, however, was solely to acknowledge the role of Adoke as Attorney General at the time and to reflect on Nigeria’s constitutional development and the importance of responsible leadership.
The Presidency clarified that Shettima’s commentary was an intellectual and historical reference, not a critique of the present administration’s policies.
It noted with concern how some media outlets had twisted his remarks to construct a false equivalence between past events and the recent declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
“Let it be clearly stated,” the statement emphasised, “that Vice President Shettima’s remarks were situated within the framework of a retrospective, scholarly reflection.
“They were intended to highlight how far Nigeria’s democracy has matured in its ability to resolve complex federal and state-level tensions through constitutional mechanisms.”
Addressing the Rivers State issue directly, the Presidency clarified that President Tinubu did not remove Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office.
Rather, a constitutional suspension was implemented in response to the deteriorating political situation, which included the partial demolition of the State House of Assembly complex and a looming impeachment threat against the governor.
The statement stressed that these actions were in line with Nigeria’s legal provisions, particularly Section 305(1)(c) of the Constitution, which permits the declaration of emergency measures when there is a breakdown of public order and safety requiring extraordinary steps to restore peace.
Citing security reports, the statement noted that Rivers State had descended into politically motivated violence, attacks on federal institutions, and near-total administrative paralysis.
It added that the President’s invocation of Section 305(2) was constitutionally valid and was later ratified by a strong bipartisan majority in the National Assembly, in accordance with Section 305(3), indicating a broad political consensus on the necessity of federal intervention.
“In contrast,” the statement noted, “the crisis in the North-East under President Jonathan involved a direct assault on the sovereignty of Nigeria by terrorist elements, and thus presented an entirely different constitutional and security scenario.”
The Presidency concluded that any suggestion linking Shettima’s speech to present-day political criticism was either a willful misinterpretation or a display of ignorance about constitutional discourse.
“Vice President Shettima’s speech focused on the importance of public accountability and the value of recording one’s service history,” the statement reiterated. “His remarks about the Jonathan era were meant to illustrate ethical conduct in public service—not to criticise current government actions.”
The statement condemned attempts to manufacture political conflict where none exists and called on media organisations and political actors to cease the harmful practice of misquoting public figures for sensational headlines.
It reaffirmed the unity within the Tinubu-led administration and underscored the Vice President’s unwavering support for the President’s decisions aimed at safeguarding democratic institutions and upholding the rule of law.
“Vice President Shettima stands firmly with President Tinubu in executing the difficult but necessary decisions required to maintain stability and democratic order,” the statement affirmed. “We urge the public and the press to avoid distorting statements and to engage in responsible reporting that upholds national unity.”