Abuja: The Presidency has clarified that Vice-President Kashim Shettima's remarks at Mohammed Adoke's book launch were not a critique of President Bola Tinubu's decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State. This clarification was made by Mr Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, during a news conference in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Nkwocha expressed concern over the misrepresentation of Shettima's comments during the launch of the book titled "OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block" by Mohammed Bello Adoke. The event took place at the Yar'Adua Centre in Abuja. Nkwocha criticized certain media outlets for distorting the Vice-President's comments to promote a mischievous agenda, suggesting a false equivalence between Shettima's past experiences and the current political situation in Rivers State under President Tinubu's administration.
Nkwocha emphasized that Shettima's comments were meant to acknowledge the professional conduct of the author during his tenure as Attorney-General. He reiterated that both the Vice-President and the administration stand in full support of President Tinubu's actions, which are deemed necessary to maintain democracy. Nkwocha urged media outlets and political actors to avoid taking statements out of context to fabricate conflicts.
The Vice-President's remarks were intended to highlight Nigeria's constitutional evolution and the management of federal-state tensions through legal mechanisms. For clarity, President Tinubu's action concerning Governor Fubara was a suspension, not removal, responding to a significant political crisis in Rivers State. This intervention, according to Nkwocha, brought stability and calm to the region.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that during the book launch, Shettima recounted his experiences under former President Goodluck Jonathan's administration. He spoke about a meeting where the idea of removing him as Governor of Borno State was discussed but ultimately dismissed due to legal advice, an experience that solidified his relationship with Adoke and Aminu Tambuwal.
Nkwocha stated that Shettima's comments focused on the importance of public officials documenting their service and the principle of accountability. He clarified that the situation in Rivers State differs from the challenges faced in the North East during Jonathan's era, where the Nigerian state's sovereignty was under direct threat.
Nkwocha concluded by affirming that President Tinubu acted within constitutional limits, with bipartisan support from the National Assembly, to address the crisis in Rivers State. The suspension of Governor Fubara was necessary to prevent complete governance paralysis and uphold democratic institutions. Misrepresenting Shettima's remarks as a commentary on current events is misleading, either due to deliberate misrepresentation or neglect of constitutional context.