Presidency Denies Link Between Shettima’s Remarks and Rivers Political Crisis

The Nigerian Presidency has refuted claims that Vice President Kashim Shettima’s recent comments were directed at the political situation in Rivers State or were critical of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s constitutional actions.

In a statement issued on Friday, Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), described such reports as deliberate distortions.

According to The Nation, the remarks in question were made by Shettima during the launch of former Attorney General Mohammed Bello Adoke’s book, OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block. Nkwocha clarified that the Vice President’s reference to the previous administration’s handling of the Borno insurgency had been misrepresented to suggest relevance to the ongoing Rivers crisis.

“These reports have twisted the Vice President’s reflections on past events… to falsely associate them with the current Rivers situation,” Nkwocha said.

The Presidency further clarified that President Tinubu’s intervention in Rivers State, which involved suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara, was in accordance with Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, following indications of political instability and a potential impeachment crisis.

“The measure was a suspension, not removal. To suggest otherwise is misleading,” the statement added.

Nkwocha emphasized that Shettima’s remarks were intended to highlight the importance of institutional memory and accountability, not to make political commentary. “The Vice President remains in loyal concert with President Tinubu and fully supports the administration’s constitutional efforts to protect democracy and public order,” he said.

The Presidency cautioned media outlets and political figures against misrepresenting public statements, warning against the spread of misinformation.