Politics
IN DEFENCE OF SHETTIMA OVER ALLEGED NEPOTISM.
By: Dr. Umar Duhu
As I perused the article published on August 4, 2025, I was taken aback by the blatant fabrications and mischievous reporting designed to malign the character and reputation of Vice President Kashim Shettima GCON.
As a concerned citizen and a member of the APC, I feel compelled to set the record straight and correct the misleading narrative perpetuated by the article, which is nothing short of a calumny.
It is imperative to correct the misleading assertion that Vice President Kashim Shettima channeled resources to other states in the North East region during the 2023 elections. In reality, the APC emerged victorious in only Borno State in the North East, rendering the claim of resource allocation to other states in the region patently false. This error betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the electoral dynamics of the North East Region, which is a clear manifestation of ignorance of the pertinent facts.
The article’s claims of nepotism and marginalization are unfounded and lack concrete evidence. The accusations made by certain APC chieftains from the North East region are politically motivated and driven by personal interests, which is a classic case of mens rea. It is surprising that the authors of the article failed to provide any credible evidence to support their claims, relying instead on hearsay and unsubstantiated allegations, which is a clear breach of the principles of audi alteram partem.
A cursory examination of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) Establishment Act of 2017 reveals that the Act does not mandate the rotation of the Managing Director and CEO position among the six North East states. In fact, Section 10 (1) and (2) of the NEDC Act provides that the Managing Director shall be appointed by the President and shall hold office for a term of four years, renewable for only one further term of four years. Therefore, the allegations of Shettima’s interference in the NEDC are baseless and demonstrate a clear misunderstanding of the Commission’s Governing Statutes, which is a manifest error.
Moreover, it is essential to correct the misleading narrative that Vice President Shettima is responsible for appointments. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, not the Vice President, makes all appointments, as enshrined in Section 147 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). This fundamental fact has been conveniently ignored in the article, revealing a lack of understanding of the constitutional roles and responsibilities of the Office of the Vice President.
Contrary to the allegations of nepotism, the Office of the Vice President has a diverse team with appointments reflecting the federal character of Nigeria. In fact, several persons appointed in the Office of the Vice President are not from Borno State or the North East region. They are not even from the same faith with the Vice President. This demonstrates the commitment to inclusivity and diversity, and belies the claims of nepotism and favouritism, which are nothing short of a mere canard.
The article’s assertion that Vice President Shettima replaced other NEDC Commissioners and Appointees from across the region with individuals loyal to him is a gross exaggeration. The changes made to the NEDC leadership were done in accordance with established procedures and protocols, and were intended to enhance the Commission’s effectiveness and efficiency, which is a legitimate exercise of the powers conferred on the President by the NEDC Act.
It is apparent that the article’s authors are attempting to create a false narrative to support their own political agendas. The ADC party’s desperation to gain traction in the North East region is evident in this malicious report, which seeks to exploit ethnic and regional sentiments for political gain, a clear case of argumentum ad hominem.
I urge the public to disregard this baseless and mischievous article, as it is nothing but a desperate attempt to try to discredit the Vice President Kashim Shettima and create unnecessary tension within the APC. I also call on the authors of the article to retract their false claims and apologize for their malicious and defamatory statements, else, history will not be kind to them and their cohorts.
Umar D. Duhu, LLM, Ph.D.
galadimadluku@gmail.com
Politics
Tinubu Assures Investors Nigeria Is Open for Business, Welcomes Coca-Cola’s $1bn Plan
By Francis Wilfred
President Bola Tinubu has assured local and international investors that Nigeria remains open for business, saying his administration is implementing reforms aimed at creating a more predictable, competitive and investment-friendly environment.
Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, at the 75th anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) in Abuja on Monday, the President said the government is addressing key challenges facing businesses under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Our message to investors, both Nigerian and international, is clear: Nigeria is open for business,” Tinubu said,
He noted that reliable infrastructure, efficient logistics, access to foreign exchange, stable regulations and a supportive tax system are critical to attracting investment and expanding production.
According to Yomi Odunuga, the President said ongoing economic reforms are designed to build a more productive and competitive economy, reduce dependence on imports, strengthen local manufacturing and create jobs for Nigerians.
Tinubu welcomed the Coca-Cola System’s proposed $1 billion investment in Nigeria over five years, announced in 2024, describing it as a strong vote of confidence in the country’s economy.
He said the administration is focused not only on the volume of investment attracted but also on its impact on employment, skills development, technology transfer and local sourcing.
“We are interested not only in the amount of capital that comes into Nigeria, but in what that capital does here,” he said.
The President also praised NBC’s continued expansion of production capacity, including new production lines in Oyo and Kano states, describing such investments as vital to strengthening Nigeria’s industrial base.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving policies, infrastructure and regulations to support businesses, while urging the private sector to complement government efforts through investment, innovation and job creation.
Tinubu further highlighted the importance of human capital development, commending NBC’s Supply Chain Academy for training over 1,400 young Nigerians and supporting women’s empowerment and community development initiatives.
He urged investors to take advantage of opportunities across Nigeria, expressing confidence that the country can build a stronger economy driven by local production, exports and globally competitive industries.
Politics
Kano Governorship: Accord Party Governorship Candidate Gashash Getting More Endorsement From Kano Electorates.
By Jabiru Hassan.
The movement for Democratic Protection and good governance (MDSG) declared it's full support to the Accord Party Governorship Candidate Ambassador Dr. Mukhtar Gashash in the forthcoming general elections.
In a chat with our correspondent in kano, the national president of the movement, Alhaji Dauda Mohammed Ali, stated that it is time for the people of kano state to bring new steward who is seriously planning to transform the state with highest regard.
He expressed his confidence that Ambassador Dr Mukhtar Gashash will do his best to ensure that kano state becomes more examplary at both sector without bias which is the task previous administrators failed to achieve.
Alhaji Dauda Mohammed Ali reiterated that " this time around, our movement is working day and night to make sure that Kano people mostly youths remained Committed to actualize real change in the state's politics, leadership and transformation under the Accord Party government".
He called on the people of kano state especially the eligible voters to vote Ambassador Dr Mukhtar Gashash due to his Transformation plans for the progress of kano state and it's citizens at both Urban and rural settlements.
Responding to a question about Accord party's strength in kano state, Dauda Mohammed Ali disclosed that in today's democracy, competent candidates should be tipped for an elective positions not the popularity of the political parties stressing that Ambassador Dr Mukhtar Gashash has been found to be the best option for kano state due to his track record on competency, transparency as a real democrat.
Politics
Caught in the middle: Ortom’s silent dance between two camps.
There are growing questions about where Mr. Samuel Ortom, a former Governor of Benue State and a prominent figure in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), truly stands politically ahead of 2027.
Ortom was a key figure in the divisions within the PDP before the 2023 general elections and was widely associated with support for Mr. Peter Obi, who finished third in that contest. More recently, however, he has publicly expressed support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
The latest discussion began after a visit by Mr. Peter Obi to Benue State. Reports indicate that a vehicle said to belong to Ortom was used to receive Obi at the Air Force Base airport in Makurdi. It is not clear who authorized the use of the vehicle, and Ortom has not commented publicly on the matter.
During the same visit, Obi was reportedly prevented from travelling to Yelewata, where he had intended to condole with families affected by violence. Obi’s team attributed the blockage to supporters of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The Governor’s spokesman, Sir Tersoo Kula, denied any involvement by the Governor. He suggested the incident may have been staged to damage the Governor’s reputation, or that it could have resulted from disagreements within Obi’s own support base.
Ortom has not issued a statement clarifying his position on the 2027 elections or on the vehicle in question. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.
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