Vice-President Kashim Shettima has taken a veiled but firm stance against the controversial removal of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, signaling a potential rift within Nigeria’s presidency.
Speaking at a public event in Abuja on Thursday, Shettima questioned the legality of removing a sitting governor by presidential fiat—an apparent reference to the March 18, 2025, ousting of Governor Fubara by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The president’s decision, described by critics as unconstitutional and undemocratic, has continued to stir political unrest and legal debate across the country.
Fubara, a member of the opposition party, was abruptly removed from office in what was widely perceived as a unilateral action.
Following the removal, Tinubu went further to suspend not only Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Odu, but also all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for a period of six months.
In their place, a retired military officer, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd), was appointed as the Sole Administrator of the state. Since then, the state has been under his control, while the suspended governor remains out of office.
The National Assembly subsequently ratified the president’s controversial action, though not without scandal. Reports emerged suggesting that lawmakers accepted monetary inducements from Tinubu’s political allies in exchange for their approval—a claim that has not been officially denied or investigated.
During his remarks at the book launch of former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, Vice-President Shettima appeared to draw a sharp contrast between past constitutional restraint and the current executive overreach.
Drawing on personal experience, Shettima recounted how a similar plot to remove him as governor of Borno State during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was halted on legal and moral grounds.
“Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan once considered removing this Borno governor,” Shettima said, referring to himself. “But Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, then Speaker of the House of Representatives, had the courage to tell the president, ‘You don’t have the power to remove an elected councillor.’”
Shettima went on to commend Mr. Adoke for standing firm against unconstitutional pressures at the time. “President Jonathan raised the matter during a Federal Executive Council meeting,” he recalled.
“Mr Mohammed Adoke, the Attorney-General then, reminded him clearly: ‘You do not have the power to remove a sitting governor.’ The president sought another legal opinion from a fellow Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kabiru Turaki, who agreed with Adoke. That was how the matter was laid to rest.”
The vice-president also took a moment to reflect on his turbulent political past, thanking Adoke for showing maturity and forgiveness.
“During the last four years of Jonathan’s government, I was considered public enemy number one. I want to thank you for the courage to forgive those who offended you,” he said.
While Shettima did not directly mention Governor Fubara’s removal, the tone and substance of his speech unmistakably addressed the dangers of presidential interference in state governance. His words signaled a strong disapproval of the precedent being set under the current administration.
A presidential spokesperson did not immediately respond to media inquiries regarding Shettima’s comments or the implications for internal cohesion within the presidency.
Until now, Vice-President Shettima had avoided making any public statement on the legality or morality of Governor Fubara’s removal. His decision to break that silence during a high-profile public event suggests growing discomfort within the corridors of power and may deepen speculations about a widening rift between him and President Tinubu.
Political tensions within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were already visible last month when a meeting at the State House ended in disarray.
The disruption reportedly occurred after party leaders loyal to President Tinubu endorsed his bid for a second term in 2027, without offering a simultaneous endorsement for Shettima as his running mate—a departure from political tradition that further stoked intra-party uncertainty.
Amid mounting speculation over his future in the administration, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, attempted to calm tensions by stating that no decision had been made about Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 election.
“When I read the reports, I dismissed them as baseless,” Onanuga said. “In a presidential system, the candidate is selected first, and only afterward does he choose a running mate. That’s how it worked with President Buhari — he was nominated first before announcing his deputy. The same process will apply here.”
He added, “Once INEC releases the timetable and the party holds its national convention, if President Tinubu is nominated, he will then announce his choice of running mate.”
Tinubu’s Running Mate to Be Announced After Party Nomination
Despite Onanuga’s clarification, analysts say Shettima’s comments and the growing signs of discord within the APC could influence the party’s internal dynamics ahead of the 2027 elections. .