Ebook launch: Shettima didn’t criticize Tinubu’s suspension of Rivers governor – Presidency

The Presidency has said Vice President Kashim Shettima’s remarks at the launch of a book written by a former Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, did not criticise the suspension of Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

Shettima’s remarks at the event appeared to suggest that he opposed the suspension of the Rivers governor.

However, the Presidency dismissed the insinuations on Friday in a statement released by Office of the Vice President. It said Shettima’s remarks were misrepresented outside the context in which it was made.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Mr. Stanley Nkwocha read: “The Office of the Vice President wishes to address and clarify recent misrepresentations regarding remarks made by His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, during the public presentation of the book “OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block” by Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

“Certain online platforms and individuals have distorted the Vice President’s comments, falsely linking his historical references about the Jonathan administration’s consideration of his removal as Governor of Borno State during the insurgency, to the current political developments in Rivers State.

“This misrepresentation is misleading and ignores the clear constitutional and contextual differences between the two situations.

“Vice President Shettima’s remarks were made in the context of recognizing the professional conduct of the book’s author during his tenure as Attorney General of the Federation.

“His references to past events were intended to highlight Nigeria’s constitutional evolution and the legal frameworks used to manage complex federal-state relations, not to comment on ongoing political matters.”

Clarifying the remarks, particularly as it pertained to the situation in Rivers State which it said was completely different from the scenario in Borno State, the Presidency said: “To clarify, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not remove Governor Siminalayi Fubara from office. Rather, in response to a grave political crisis—including the demolition of the Rivers State House of Assembly and threats of impeachment, the President constitutionally suspended Governor Fubara under Section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution.”

Noting that the Vice President fully supports Tinubu’s constitutional actions to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy, the statement called on the media and political actors to refrain from distorting statements to create false narratives or conflicts.