- Vice President Kashim Shettima praises President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as an unsung hero of Nigeria’s democracy
- Shettima highlights Tinubu’s role as a political refuge for figures like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and others
Vice President Kashim Shettima has hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as an unsung hero of Nigeria’s democracy, emphasizing his role as a political refuge for figures like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and others.
Speaking at the 2024 Democracy Day lecture commemorating Nigeria’s 25th democracy anniversary at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, Shettima praised Tinubu as “the pivot of opposition against the establishment of one-party dictatorships in the nation.”
He highlighted Tinubu’s resilience under the erstwhile ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and his assistance to numerous politicians in the country, including Atiku Abubakar, Olusegun Mimiko in Ondo, Rauf Aregbesola in Osun, and Adams Oshiomole in Edo. Shettima asserted that Tinubu has consistently provided refuge to those persecuted.
“When former Vice President Atiku Abubakar faced harassment, intimidation, and expulsion from the PDP, he sought refuge in Bourdillon, where Tinubu provided him with the political platform to contest the presidency under Action Congress. His selection of Northerners to represent his party underscored his inclusivity. Four years later, Tinubu also offered his platform to Nuhu Ribadu,” Shettima recounted.
Shettima’s remarks follow recent exchanges between him and Atiku regarding President Tinubu’s role in the latter’s political trajectory.