Vice-President Kashim Shettima Wednesday questioned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on their economic prescriptions.
He faulted Obi’s reliance on foreign economic models and statistical comparisons, saying that Nigeria’s size, population and economic complexities could not be governed through policies borrowed from other nations.
Speaking at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, Shettima made a case for the administration’s continuity beyond 2027.
On Obi’s economic postulations, he stated that Nigeria’s development challenges demand practical, homegrown solutions rather than simplistic international comparisons.
“A country of over 250 million people cannot be governed through borrowed statistics and economic prescriptions detached from its peculiarities,” he said.
He likened the uncritical adoption of foreign economic models to attempting to fit a garment designed for a smaller person onto someone with a considerably larger frame.
“I respect Peter Obi. But he has gone beyond his mastery of philosophy to make an august claim about winning the 2023 presidential election without adducing a shred of evidence to buttress his assertion,” he said.
On Atiku, Shettima argued that his desire to occupy the nation’s highest office must be accompanied by character, discipline and a proper appreciation of the responsibilities of leadership.
He said seeking the presidency was not enough to govern a complex country, adding that political maturity and a realistic understanding of national priorities was important.
Shettima urged members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council to refrain from personal attacks and inflammatory exchanges during the forthcoming campaigns, saying that political disagreements must not undermine mutual respect among Nigerians and electoral competition should focus on policies, ideas, leadership records, and competing visions for national development.
