Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima has defended President Bola Tinubu, asserting that the President is not in office to accumulate wealth but to positively impact the nation. Speaking at a book launch in Abuja, Shettima described Tinubu as “the most demonized politician” in Nigeria, yet one with “a good soul.”
Shettima recounted his first visit to Tinubu’s residence in Lagos, where he was surprised by its modesty, saying, “The first time I went to his house at Bourdillon, I was looking forward to seeing a mansion comparable to Buckingham Palace, with gardens and swimming pools, but there was nothing special about that house. My house in Maiduguri is better than the house in Bourdillon.”
He further emphasized Tinubu’s simple lifestyle, noting that despite the variety of meals available during a meeting, Tinubu chose to eat garri with groundnut. “Since I have known him, he has been using only one wristwatch, and in fact, I dress better than him,” Shettima added.
The Vice President acknowledged the economic challenges inherited from the previous administration but expressed confidence in Tinubu’s ability to address them, pointing to increasing oil exports and a stabilizing currency as signs of improvement.
“We need to rally around this poor man. He has taken some bold steps. The economy that we met was in a huge mess,” Shettima said, calling for national support for the President.
He also dismissed the political rhetoric from opponents, including Atiku Abubakar and supporters of Peter Obi, regarding the removal of the fuel subsidy, stressing that it was a necessary step that all major political figures had contemplated.
“We knew there were challenges. Forget about the politics being played by Atiku Abubakar and the Obi-dient crowd; they all said they were going to withdraw the fuel subsidy,” Shettima remarked.
In conclusion, Shettima reaffirmed the commitment of the administration to solving the nation’s problems, rather than apportioning blame.
