The Presidency on Friday dismissed online reports suggesting that Vice President Kashim Shettima indirectly criticized the suspension of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, during a recent public event.
The rebuttal followed interpretations of Shettima’s remarks at the book launch of former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), which some media outlets claimed were veiled jabs at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s handling of the Rivers political crisis.
A statement issued by Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), clarified that Shettima’s remarks were grossly misrepresented and taken out of context.
“The Office of the Vice President wishes to address and clarify recent misrepresentations regarding remarks made by His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, during the public presentation of the book ‘OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block’ by Mohammed Bello Adoke at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, on Thursday, July 10, 2025,” the statement read.
According to the Presidency, Shettima’s comments about his time as Governor of Borno State under former President Goodluck Jonathan were intended as historical reflections and not a commentary on present political events.
“These references were made in the context of recognizing Adoke’s professional conduct during his service as Attorney General and to highlight Nigeria’s evolving constitutional and legal frameworks in managing federal-state relations,” the statement explained.
The Presidency further stressed that comparing the Jonathan-era insurgency crisis in Borno with the ongoing Rivers crisis is both inaccurate and misleading.
“To clarify, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not remove Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office. In response to a grave political crisis—including the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly and threats of impeachment—the President constitutionally suspended Governor Fubara under Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution,” Nkwocha stated.
He added that the action was backed by a bipartisan majority in the National Assembly and was necessary to restore order and good governance in Rivers State.
The statement emphasized that Vice President Shettima’s remarks were historical in nature and were not aimed at undermining the President’s constitutional decisions.
The Presidency warned media organizations and political figures against twisting facts to fuel division or misinformation.
“Vice President Shettima stands firmly behind President Tinubu’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy and urges all parties to avoid creating false narratives or unnecessary political tension,” the statement concluded.
