“You can’t ignore him”: Shettima lauds El-Rufai amid controversies

President Bola Tinubu’s vice, Kashim Shettima, has heaped praises on the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.

The vice president, while speaking at an event on Thursday, July 10, noted that irrespective of El-Rufai’s personality, no politician can ignore him.

Shettima also rained praises on NNPP chieftain, Rabiu Kwankwaso, adding that all politicians in Nigeria are one, because they are on the same cause

According to Shettima, the former Kaduna governor is “the enfant terrible of the Nigerian Governors’ Club.” His further comment about El-Rufai reads: “Hate him, love him, but you can’t ignore him.”

Shettima, in his address, also commended Rabiu Kwankwaso, the former governor of Kano State and the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), in the 2023 election, describing him as “the fire-spitting leader of the Kwankwassiyya Movement.”

The vice president noted that all Nigerian politicians are one in their task to build the country, irrespective of their political affiliation. His admonition for El-Rufai, Kwankwaso and other opposition leaders came amid alignment and realignment within the political class ahead of the 2027 general election.

There have been several controversial reports alleging a rift between Shettima and President Bola Tinubu.

Recently, it was rumoured that the president was considering dumping Shettima as vice president in his re-election bid in 2027, and Kwankwaso, who was alleged to be plotting a move to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was said to be a possible replacement. APC chieftains dismissed rift between Tinubu, Shettima While several figures in the ruling party have dismissed the claim.