The Presidency has denied claims that Vice President Kashim Shettima criticised President Bola Tinubu over the political situation in Rivers State, describing such reports as deliberate misinterpretation of his remarks.
In a statement issued on Friday, the senior special assistant to the president on media and communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima’s comments at a book launch in Abuja were taken out of context by some media platforms and individuals.
The Vice President had, on Thursday, spoken at the public presentation of a book authored by former attorney-general of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, titled “OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block.”
During his remarks, Kashim Shettima recalled how the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan once considered removing him as governor of Borno State during the peak of insurgency in the North-East.
Nkwocha said that reference was historical and meant to highlight Adoke’s professional conduct and respect for the rule of law, not a criticism of President Tinubu or a comment on current events.
“Shettima’s speech was a reflection on past governance and constitutionalism, not a commentary on the actions taken by President Tinubu in Rivers State,” Nkwocha stated.
He clarified that the recent suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers were constitutional responses to a deepening political crisis in the state and should not be compared to events from the past.
“For the avoidance of doubt, President Tinubu did not remove Governor Fubara. The constitutional measure implemented was a suspension, taken in response to a near-complete paralysis of governance and security threats within the state,” Nkwocha said.
He further stressed that the actions taken by the president were lawful, backed by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution and ratified by the National Assembly.
Nkwocha said Shettima remains loyal to President Tinubu and supports the administration’s efforts to uphold democracy and the rule of law.
“The Vice President stands firmly with the President. Any attempt to twist his remarks into something else is either ignorance of the context or a deliberate act of mischief,” he said.
He urged the media and political actors to refrain from distorting public commentary to create false narratives.
