Presidency debunks reports linking Shettima’s remarks to Rivers emergency rule

The Presidency has debunked claims linking Vice President Kashim Shettima’s comments to the declaration of a state of emergency and the suspension of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara by President Bola Tinubu.

Shettima spoke during the public presentation of the book, “OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block,” by the former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, in a statement on Friday, described the media interpretations of Shettima’s remarks as “gross misrepresentation”.

Nkwocha stated: “Some news outlets have irresponsibly twisted the Vice President’s account of how the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan floated the idea of removing him from office, then as governor of Borno State, in the most intense and critical phase of insurgency in the North East region of the country.

“The sensational reporting disappointingly tried to erect a highly mendacious argument about the state of emergency declared in Rivers State and the subsequent suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara by His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Nkwocha noted that Shettima’s comments were made within the specific context of acknowledging the author’s past professional conduct during his tenure as AGF, adding that the vice president’s remarks were historical references to events that occurred during the Jonathan administration, and constituted nothing more than an intellectual discourse on Nigeria’s constitutional evolution.

He said: “For the avoidance of doubt, President Tinubu did not remove Governor Fubara from office. The constitutional action taken was suspension, and not outright removal. It was part of the measures implemented, including the state of emergency declared, in response to the grave circumstances surrounding the polity in Rivers State at the time.

“It is more so considering the unprecedented situation where the State House of Assembly complex was under demolition and the Governor was facing a looming threat of impeachment (outright removal from office) from the embattled members of the state legislature.

Shettima reveals how Jonathan attempted to remove him as Borno Gov

“This cannot be compared with the situation in the North East region under the Jonathan administration, where violent non-state actors were challenging the sovereignty of the Nigerian state and required collective action from the central government and subnationals to eliminate the terrorists.

“President Tinubu’s actions were taken within the constitutional framework and in consultation with relevant stakeholders to preserve democratic institutions and maintain peace in Rivers State.

“Therefore, to interpret Senator Shettima’s observations as commentary on current affairs represents either willful misinterpretation or ignorance of constitutional discourse.

“The Vice President’s speech was focused on the importance of public officials documenting their stewardship and the eternal nature of accountability in public service. His historical references were made to illustrate the principled positions taken by public servants in the past, not a criticism of government policies.”

Nkwocha stressed that the Tinubu administration remains committed to constitutional governance and the rule of law in the country.

Nkwocha added: “Vice President Shettima stands shoulder to shoulder with President Tinubu in implementing these difficult but indispensable actions to safeguard our democracy.

“We implore media organisations and political actors to abandon the destructive practice of wrenching statements from their proper context to fabricate nonexistent conflicts.”

The Star