Vice-President Kashim Shettima has taken a swipe at former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his repeated references to President Bola Tinubu by his first name, insisting that such a description does not diminish his status as Nigeria’s leader.
Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He stressed that Tinubu remained Nigeria’s president and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, regardless of how Atiku chose to address him.
The vice-president’s comments appeared to be a pointed response to Atiku’s repeated use of Tinubu’s first name in public remarks, amid political tensions between the two leaders.
Tinubu and Atiku were rival candidates in the 2023 presidential election, which the APC candidate won. Atiku, who contested under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenged the outcome in court, but the Supreme Court upheld Tinubu’s victory.
Shettima’s remarks underscore the continuing political rivalry between the ruling APC and opposition figures as the country’s political landscape gradually shifts towards the next election cycle.
The inauguration of the presidential campaign council also signals the ruling party’s efforts to strengthen its political machinery and consolidate support ahead of future electoral contests.
