Vice-President Kashim Shettima has launched a sharp critique against the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, claiming that the opposition figure has nothing substantive to offer Nigerians other than reciting economic data.
Speaking at a gathering of business leaders and economic experts in Abuja, Shettima called on the country’s economic community to support the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration while defending the government’s decision to eliminate the petrol subsidy.
Shettima Challenges Opposition Vision
While acknowledging Obi’s consistent stance on the necessity of fuel subsidy removal, Shettima argued that quoting figures alone does not translate to actionable leadership.
‘I respect Peter Obi for having the courage to say he is not going to restore the petrol subsidy, but beyond spouting some statistics, Mr. Peter Obi has absolutely nothing to offer,’ the Vice-President stated, urging the private sector to back the current reform agenda.
Defending Fuel Subsidy Removal
The Vice-President also used the platform to justify the May 2023 removal of the petrol subsidy, which triggered a sharp rise in transportation and living costs across Nigeria. Shettima provided a regional price comparison to demonstrate the economic strain created by previous domestic fuel pricing arrangements:
- Nigeria: Approximately N1,390 per liter
- Niger Republic: Approximately N1,148.36 per liter
- Benin Republic: Approximately N1,729.29 per liter
- Cameroon: Approximately N1,945.50 per liter
Shettima emphasized that the significant price disparity previously made Nigeria an affordable fuel source for neighboring countries at the expense of its own national treasury.
Political Rivalry and Economic Debate
This latest statement revives earlier political exchanges between the ruling All Progressives Congress and opposition leadership. Shettima previously characterized Obi as a ‘master of bogus statistics’ during the aftermath of the 2023 general election.
Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, has frequently used public finance statistics to challenge the government’s economic policies, advocating for greater accountability, fiscal restraint, and targeted public spending. Meanwhile, opposition figures continue to demand stronger social interventions to alleviate the financial pressures currently facing Nigerian households.