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Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate Peter Obi has “absolutely nothing to offer” Nigerians, despite commending him for saying he would not restore the fuel subsidy.
Shettima made the remarks at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, where he defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms and criticised political calls to reverse the removal of the petrol subsidy.
“I respect Peter Obi… But beyond spouting some dubious statistics, Mr Obi has nothing to offer…”
At the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima compares petrol prices in Niger, Benin and Cameroon, saying Nigeria’s pump prices are not significantly different from those in neighbouring countries.
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“I respect Peter Obi for having the courage to say that he is not going to restore the fuel subsidy. But beyond spouting some dubious statistics, Mr Obi has absolutely nothing to offer,” the vice president said.
Shettima also criticised another presidential candidate whom he accused of advocating a return to the subsidy scheme for political convenience.
“One of the leading presidential candidates is advocating a return to the subsidy scheme. He wants us to backslide into primitivity for political convenience,” he said.
Without naming the candidate, Shettima questioned his qualifications to manage a modern economy, citing his training at the Kano School of Hygiene.
“I dare to put forward that his skill set- he was trained in sanitation at the Kano School of Hygiene- so he doesn’t have the skill set to govern a modern economy,” he said.
“That is a painful truth,” Shettima added.
The vice president defended Tinubu’s decision to remove the fuel subsidy, describing the previous arrangement as a costly system that placed pressure on Nigerians.
“As painful as the reforms were, they have put Nigeria on a clear trajectory,” he said.
“When President Bola Tinubu assumed the mantle of leadership, we had created a subsidy scam, a subsidy industry, that were building on the agony of our people. But Mr. President understood that postponing difficult decisions would multiply the eventual cost.”
According to Shettima, Tinubu accepted the political consequences of the decision because he believed delaying difficult reforms would make them more expensive in the future.
“He accepted the burden of acting while others calculated the comfort of delay. He chose to forfeit the applause he was given for the enduring gains of generations yet unborn,” he said.
Shettima also compared petrol prices in Nigeria with those in neighbouring countries, arguing that the difference was not substantial.
He recalled that Nigeria had previously been reported to consume approximately 67 million litres of petrol daily before citing prices in Niger Republic, Benin Republic and Cameroon.
“Some few years back, your excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Nigeria was purportedly consuming around 67 million litres of fuel per day.
“Now In Niger Republic, a litre of oil goes for approximately 0.85 U.S. dollars, which amounts to 1,148.36 Naira. In Benin Republic, it goes for approximately $1.28 U.S. dollars, which amounts to 1,729.29 Naira,” he said.
“And in Cameroon, it goes for 1.44 U.S. dollars, which amounts to 1,945.45. In our country, it goes for 1,390 Naira. The parity is not wide,” he added.
The vice president urged participants at the summit to take an active role in Nigeria’s development, saying the country’s challenges required collective responsibility.
“Every person here is a major stakeholder in the Nigeria project, and you can’t afford to play the ostrich,” he said.
Shettima also invoked the words of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. while reflecting on the demands of leadership during difficult times.
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“84 days from now, Nigerians will go to the polls. Again, I wish to remind you of what Martin Luther King said: the ultimate measure of a man is not why he stands at times of comfort and convenience, but why he stands at times of challenge and controversy,” he said.
He further stressed the importance of expertise in public leadership, arguing that skills were essential to effective governance in the digital age.
“And in this digital age, your excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, skills are absolutely essential for governance,” Shettima said.
