Shettima describes Obi as ‘master of bogus statistics’

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has labeled Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), as a "master of bogus statistics". During the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, Shettima criticized Obi's habit of dropping seemingly significant statistics without considering their relevance to Nigeria's unique circumstances.

He explained that attempting to govern a country of over 250 million people with "borrowed statistics and economic prescriptions detached from its peculiarities" is not feasible. Shettima described Obi as "my very good friend" but noted that his comparison of Nigeria to other countries, specifically Bangladesh, was not tenable. He emphasized that a size 36 shirt tailored for Bangladesh would not fit Nigeria's size 52 frame.

Shettima highlighted that governance requires mastery of context, including social, economic, political, and institutional differences. He stated that what works in Bangladesh cannot be directly transplanted to Nigeria without accounting for the disparities in population, economic structures, institutions, and national circumstances.

Shettima warned that such a delusion of grandeur could lead to governance failure. Despite his criticism, Shettima called for respectful political discourse, likening opponents to fellow Nigerians rather than enemies. He urged APC supporters to focus on discussing ideas and policies while treating all opponents with respect and dignity.