Shettima criticizes Obi for misleading statistics

Vice President Kashim Shettima has criticized former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi. He called Obi “the master of bogus statistics and incoherent economic prescriptions.”

Shettima spoke on Wednesday at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council. This event took place at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.

Referring to Obi as “my very good friend,” the Vice President mocked Obi's tendency to compare Nigeria with other countries, especially Bangladesh.

Shettima said, “He seems convinced that a size 36 shirt tailored for Bangladesh will somehow fit Nigeria’s size 52 frame.” He added that Obi’s “fascination with foreign comparisons overlooks the peculiarities that distinguish one nation from another.”

The Vice President explained, “Governance is an art that demands mastery of context, whether social, economic, political or institutional.” He noted, “What succeeds in Bangladesh cannot simply be transplanted to Nigeria without accounting for the differences in our population, economic structures, institutions and national circumstances.”

He emphasized, “A country of over 250 million people cannot be governed through borrowed statistics and economic prescriptions detached from its peculiarities.” Shettima mentioned that he respects Obi but accused him of making a “bogus claim” about winning the 2023 presidential election without any evidence.

“This is called delusion of grandeur. Our contest is with the politics of yesterday dressed as tomorrow’s deliverance,” he stated.

Obi has often pointed to Bangladesh in his criticism of the Tinubu administration’s handling of the economy, especially its borrowing practices. In February, he said Nigeria’s main issue was fund mismanagement, not borrowing itself.

Obi ran as the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 elections, finishing third behind Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar. He took Tinubu’s victory to court. The Supreme Court dismissed his appeal and confirmed Tinubu’s election in October 2023.

Now, Obi is aiming for the presidency again. He plans to run in the election set for January 16, 2027, under the Nigeria Democratic Congress. The APC will kick off its campaign in Kaduna on October 24.