Atiku Lacks Skills To Govern Modern Economy- Shettima

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has questioned the capacity of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to govern a modern economy, faulting his proposal to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027.

Shettima described the proposal as an attempt to take Nigeria backwards for political convenience, insisting that President Bola Tinubu took the difficult decision to remove petrol subsidy because he understood the country’s economic realities.

The vice-president spoke on Monday at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, where he urged Nigerians to make informed decisions about the country’s political leadership.

“One of the leading presidential candidates (Atiku) is advocating a return to the subsidy scheme. He wants us to backslide into primitivity for political convenience,” Shettima said.

He also questioned Atiku’s qualifications and expertise to manage a modern economy, making reference to the former vice-president’s training at the Kano School of Hygiene.

“I dare to put forward that his skill set… he was trained in sanitation at the Kano School of Hygiene. So he doesn’t have the skill set to govern a modern economy. That’s a painful truth,” he said.

Shettima further questioned Atiku’s understanding of public health issues, arguing that Nigerians must carefully assess the credentials and competence of candidates seeking the presidency.

The vice-president, however, defended Tinubu’s decision to remove petrol subsidy, describing it as a difficult but necessary step informed by an understanding of the country’s economic dynamics.

“The president took those painful decisions because he understands the dynamics,” he said.

The removal of petrol subsidy has remained a major issue in Nigeria’s economic and political debates, with its effects on the cost of living and the government’s fiscal position continuing to attract public attention.

Atiku’s reported proposal to restore petrol subsidy has reopened the debate over whether the government should maintain the current policy or reintroduce subsidies to cushion the effects of rising living costs.

At the summit, Shettima also praised Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, describing him as one of his heroes in Nigerian politics despite their affiliations with different political parties.

“And this gentleman seated here is one of my heroes in the Nigerian political equation. We belong to different political fraternities,” the vice-president said.

He noted that Soludo, a governor elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), had demonstrated courage and conviction by standing by his positions even when they differed from popular opinion.

“He’s an APGA governor of Anambra, but he’s a man of courage and conviction who can come out and go against the direction of the wind,” Shettima said.