Vice President Kashim Shettima has strongly denied recent online reports suggesting he made veiled criticisms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s handling of the Rivers State political crisis, describing the insinuations as “deliberate misrepresentation” and “intellectual dishonesty” aimed at stoking artificial divisions within the Presidency.

In a firm rebuttal issued by his office on Friday, Shettima expressed deep concern over what he described as a calculated distortion of comments he made during the public presentation of the book ‘OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block’, authored by former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

“Certain individuals and platforms have stripped the Vice President’s remarks of their context to push a false narrative,” the statement read. “This is not only misleading but also a calculated attempt to fabricate a non-existent conflict within the administration.”

The Vice President, during his speech at the literary event, had recalled his tenure as Governor of Borno State at the height of the Boko Haram insurgency. 

He narrated how, in the heat of political and security tensions, the Jonathan administration allegedly contemplated his removal, a story he said was intended to honour Adoke’s integrity during a volatile chapter in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

However, some media outlets interpreted Shettima’s historical account as a subtle jab at the Tinubu administration’s recent intervention in Rivers State, particularly the decision to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara amid rising political unrest in the oil-rich state.

“The Vice President was not referring to Governor Fubara’s suspension or any current political matter. Any attempt to link his remarks to Rivers State is grossly inaccurate and mischief-laden,” the statement clarified.

According to the Vice President’s Office, the President’s intervention in Rivers followed constitutional processes outlined in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, designed to address threats to peace, law, and order in a state.  

The suspension of state officials, the statement stressed, is not tantamount to removal from office, and any comparison with Shettima’s experience under former President Jonathan is “a distortion driven by mischief or ignorance.”

Shettima reaffirmed his unwavering loyalty to President Tinubu, stressing that his remarks were neither critical nor political, but reflective, anchored in the spirit of accountability and historical context.

“He spoke extemporaneously, and always within the bounds of loyalty and respect for the President and the government he serves,” the statement added, urging the media to exhibit responsibility in their reporting.

The Vice President also called on political actors and commentators to refrain from weaponising innocuous public remarks in a bid to engineer friction within the administration, warning that such conduct only serves to derail the national focus on governance.

“This administration will not be distracted by deliberate mischief. The focus remains on delivering good governance and upholding democratic principles,” he added.

The Presidency had, in the past, also dispelled rumours of discord between the two leaders. In September 2024, amid similar online chatter suggesting a cold war between Tinubu and Shettima, the Vice President’s spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, dismissed the claims as “mendacious propaganda,” asserting that Shettima has enjoyed the full confidence and trust of President Tinubu since they assumed office.

“In the history of Nigeria’s Presidency, no vice president has enjoyed the total confidence and full support of his principal like Shettima,” Nkwocha stated when the vice president marked his 58th birthday. “In return, his loyalty to his boss, President Tinubu, is absolute and unalloyed.”

Nkwocha further described Shettima as a rare figure in Nigeria’s political terrain, a man whose commitment to his principal exemplifies “a refreshing shift towards harmonious collaboration” in a political environment often marred by rivalry and undercurrents .