Vice President Kashim Shettima has revealed that he was the most demonised individual during the administration of former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
In a stunning revelation, Shettima disclosed that Dr. Jonathan had contemplated removing him as Governor of Borno State, but the then Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, intervened to prevent it.
Shettima made this disclosure at the public presentation of Adoke’s memoir, “OPL 245: Inside Story of the $1.3 billion Nigerian oil block,” held in Abuja on Thursday.
According to Shettima, Adoke demonstrated remarkable courage by informing Jonathan that he lacked the constitutional authority to remove an elected councilor, let alone an elected governor.
Shettima served as Governor of Borno State from May 2011 to May 2019, a period marked by intense insurgency in the northeast region.
During his tenure, Jonathan declared a state of emergency in some local governments in Borno and Plateau states on December 31, 2011, and later extended it to the entire states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa on May 14, 2013.
However, none of the governors were suspended.
In a striking contrast, President Bola Tinubu, Shettima’s principal, declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on March 18, 2025, amid a protracted political crisis.
Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all members of the House of Assembly for six months.
The President appointed ex-naval chief Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as administrator to oversee the affairs of the oil-rich Niger Delta state.
The current Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, had justified the suspension of Fubara, his deputy, and members of the state’s legislature.
This stance differs significantly from Adoke’s position during the Jonathan administration, where he upheld the constitutional protections afforded to elected officials.
Shettima’s revelation highlighted the complexities of Nigerian politics and the varying interpretations of constitutional powers.
The contrast between the actions of the Jonathan and Tinubu administrations raised important questions about the rule of law and the limits of executive authority.
