Shettima’s Book Launch Remark Misinterpreted, Not Linked to Fubara’s Suspension – Presidency

The Presidency has clarified that Vice President Kashim Shettima’s recent remarks at a public book launch were not a veiled reference to the political crisis involving Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

At the unveiling of “OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block,” authored by former Attorney General of the Federation Mohammed Bello Adoke, Shettima had recalled how Adoke played a pivotal role in preventing the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan from removing him as governor of Borno State at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency. “No president can remove an elected official,” Shettima stated, a remark many interpreted as a subtle critique of President Bola Tinubu’s recent suspension of Governor Fubara.

In a statement issued Friday, however, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, said the Vice President’s comment had been taken out of context and distorted to advance misleading narratives.

“We wish to state categorically that Vice President Shettima’s comments were made within the context of acknowledging the author’s professional conduct during his tenure as Attorney General of the Federation — a tribute to his public service record,” Nkwocha said.

He clarified that Shettima was making a historical reference to events that took place during the Jonathan administration and that his remarks were intended to explore Nigeria’s constitutional evolution and the delicate balance of federal-state relations.

“His remarks were historical references… and were intended as a discourse on Nigeria’s constitutional evolution. They served to highlight how complex federal-state tensions have been managed through legal mechanisms and the country’s progress in that regard,” he added.

Nkwocha also emphasized that contrary to speculation, President Tinubu did not remove Governor Fubara from office. He noted that the constitutional measure taken was a suspension, not a removal — a response triggered by what he described as an “unprecedented political crisis” in Rivers State.

“This action, along with the declaration of a state of emergency, was taken in response to the grave political crisis in Rivers State at the time,” the statement explained.
“No objective observer can deny that this decisive intervention by the President brought stability and calm to Rivers State.”

Nkwocha stressed that the situation in Rivers State, involving threats of impeachment, the demolition of the State Assembly complex, and attacks on federal institutions, necessitated an extraordinary constitutional response under Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution.

He argued that while the North-East crisis under Jonathan involved terrorism and state fragility, the Rivers case was a constitutional crisis that required prompt federal intervention to restore order and preserve democratic institutions.

“To conflate suspension with removal is misleading,” the statement read.
“Interpreting Senator Shettima’s remarks as commentary on current events is either a wilful misrepresentation or a deliberate neglect of constitutional context.”

Nkwocha further stated that the Vice President’s speech was extemporaneous and rooted in the importance of public accountability, not a critique of President Tinubu’s leadership.

“Vice President Shettima stands in loyal concert with President Tinubu in implementing these difficult but necessary actions to safeguard our democracy,” he concluded, urging media organisations and political actors to refrain from distorting public statements to stoke controversy.

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