Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday took a swipe at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over attacks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reminding him that the President once provided him with political refuge and a platform to contest the presidency when he fell out with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007.

Shettima, who cautioned the former Vice President and other opposition figures against what he described as dirty politics and malicious attacks on Tinubu, declared that political rivalry should not extinguish longstanding relationships, mutual respect and the basic principles of decency.

Speaking at the City Boy Movement meeting with President Tinubu at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Vice President said the administration remained committed to issue-based political engagement but would not fold its arms while opponents allegedly spread falsehoods against the President.

He also said Tinubu would, in the coming weeks, announce far-reaching interventions to address agricultural challenges and bring down food prices, assuring Nigerians that the economic hardship since the administration’s reforms began would gradually ease.

In a strongly worded address, Shettima recalled the decades-old political relationship between Tinubu and Atiku, tracing their association to the political movement led by the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.

He said their political paths crossed nearly four decades ago and that both men benefited from the late political leader’s mentorship.

The Vice President recalled how Tinubu, then a leading figure in the Action Congress (AC), gave Atiku the party’s presidential platform in 2007 after the former Vice President’s political differences with former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

He maintained that the episode demonstrated Tinubu’s longstanding commitment to political alliances and his willingness to accommodate associates facing political difficulties.

“Again, in 2007, when Vice President Atiku Abubakar was harassed, intimidated, dehumanised and chased out of the PDP, he found refuge in the land of the Jagaban, who provided him with a sanctuary, with a platform to contest for the presidency of this country,” Shettima said.

He argued that despite the political differences that had subsequently emerged between the two leaders, their shared history should ordinarily command mutual respect.

“Desperation is not insanity. Honour exists even among politicians, and I believe there is a minimal threshold below which, even as politicians, we should not fall.

“This is my fundamental quarrel with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

“This gentleman seated here is his friend, is his contemporary, is his brother”, he stated, referring to Tinubu.

Shettima said the administration had no intention of treating political opponents as enemies, stressing that political differences should not undermine the collective responsibility for national development.

He nevertheless warned that the government and its supporters would respond when political criticism degenerated into what he described as malicious fabrications and attacks on the President’s character.

“We would rather engage in issue-based conversations with our political opponents. They are not our enemies. They are our co-travellers in national rebuilding”, he declared.

The Vice President, however, insisted that the ruling party would not remain silent in the face of allegations it considered unfair or deliberately misleading.

He said he maintained personal friendships with several leading opposition politicians despite their political disagreements, adding that such relationships should encourage responsible political conduct.

Shettima further recalled Tinubu’s role in the political realignment that produced the All Progressives Congress (APC) and eventually facilitated the emergence of the late President Muhammadu Buhari as the party’s presidential candidate in 2015.

According to him, Buhari had unsuccessfully contested the presidency in 2003, 2007 and 2011 before the political alliance that brought together major opposition forces ahead of the 2015 election.

He described the alliance as a historic political partnership between the North and South that made Buhari’s eventual electoral victory possible.

“It was that partnership, that handshake across the Niger, that President Bola Tinubu masterminded, that made us cross the Rubicon”, he said.

Turning to the state of the economy, Shettima defended the difficult policy choices Tinubu made since assuming office on May 29, 2023, arguing that the country was heading toward economic collapse before the administration embarked on structural reforms.

He said the President inherited enormous economic challenges, including substantial obligations arising from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Ways and Means financing, but chose to confront the problems rather than blame his predecessor.

The Vice President put the inherited Ways and Means obligations at about N27 trillion and cited the country’s weak foreign reserve position at the time as evidence of the severity of the economic situation.

He commended Tinubu for maintaining his respect and loyalty to Buhari despite the difficulties his administration inherited.

According to him, the President’s determination to protect his relationship with his predecessor reflected his fidelity to longstanding political partnerships.

Shettima maintained that Tinubu’s decision to implement far-reaching economic reforms had helped Nigeria avoid a more serious financial crisis.

He said continued postponement of the reforms could have been devastating for the country’s economic stability.

The Vice President cited the growth of the economy by about 4.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, declining inflation and improvements in external reserves as indications that the measures were producing results.

He said the improvement in foreign reserves, which he described as approaching $60 billion, reflected the gradual strengthening of Nigeria’s economic fundamentals.

Shettima, however, acknowledged that Nigerians had endured considerable hardship as a result of the reforms, insisting that the government was working to translate improvements in economic indicators into better living conditions.

“The President is to be commended, not to be demonised”, he said, maintaining that the economic situation could have been considerably worse without the administration’s interventions.

He specifically identified the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), consumer credit initiatives and infrastructure investments among measures designed to expand opportunities and reduce economic pressures on Nigerians.

On the rising cost of food, the Vice President disclosed that the President was preparing additional measures to tackle agricultural challenges, expressing confidence that the interventions would eventually translate into lower prices.

“Be rest assured that in the coming weeks, the President will come up with robust responses to agricultural challenges, and prices of foodstuff will certainly come down”, he assured.

Shettima also praised Tinubu’s political philosophy, describing him as a leader whose development ambitions extended beyond the immediate demands of political office.

He recalled the President’s role in supporting the development of land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos, presenting the project as evidence of his capacity for long-term planning.

The Vice President described Tinubu as a leader who envisaged development opportunities beyond existing limitations and recognised the importance of preparing for future generations.

He said the President’s political leadership was also distinguished by his ability to build coalitions, accommodate different interests, and recognise talents beyond established political circles.

According to him, the APC became a platform for bringing diverse political groups together because Tinubu understood the importance of inclusion and collective participation in governance.

“He listens to those who disagree with him. He recognises talent beyond familiar circles. He gives competing interests a stake in shared success”, Shettima said.

Addressing the leadership and members of the City Boy Movement, the Vice President commended their continued support for the administration, particularly during periods of difficult economic decisions and public criticism.

He said their willingness to commit time, resources and personal reputations to the administration’s programmes demonstrated their belief in the country’s future.

“We are what we are because of those who stand with us. Every achievement that bears our name carries the courage of other Nigerians.

“Our heroes are therefore those who remain when the sunshine gives way to rain”, he said.

Shettima thanked the movement for taking the administration’s policies and programmes to communities beyond the reach of official government communications.

He said the organisation’s political engagement had helped create opportunities for Nigerians to understand government policies and join discussions about the country’s development.

The Vice President also commended the increasing participation of young Nigerians in politics and governance, saying their commitment offered hope for the future of democratic leadership.

He urged members of the movement to resist falsehoods, division and despair while engaging Nigerians respectfully and providing factual explanations of government policies.

He said government officials had a corresponding responsibility to give young people an accurate account of their stewardship and create opportunities for their talents to flourish.

“We owe you a proper and honest account of our stewardship and a country in which your talents can flourish,” he said.

Shettima urged members of the movement to sustain their grassroots engagements, defend the administration’s policies with facts and demonstrate respect for citizens whose confidence they sought.

He concluded by thanking the organisation for remaining supportive of Tinubu throughout the administration’s difficult reform period.

“Thank you for standing with us through uncertainty. Thank you for giving our programmes a voice in our communities. Thank you for placing your talents at the service of Nigeria. Thank you for believing that our country deserves the courage required to improve it”, the Vice President said. (The Nation)