Vice President Kashim Shettima has addressed and dismissed the ongoing speculation about President Bola Tinubu’s health, emphasizing that the President is not only healthy but also brimming with innovative ideas. This clarification comes after an incident during the Democracy Day celebrations last month, where President Tinubu appeared to miss his step, sparking widespread conversation and concerns about his fitness to lead the country.
During a town hall meeting organized by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) at the Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja on Friday, Shettima directly tackled these concerns. He urged Nigerians to support Tinubu’s administration and focus on the President’s capabilities and vision rather than indulging in baseless speculations about his health.
“We are not asking you not to question the eligibility of your president’s condition. But there is this mischievous vexation about the president’s health status,” Shettima remarked at the event. He pointed out that true leadership is not about physical prowess but intellectual and strategic capacity. “We are not preparing for the Olympics, but an institution that builds on the superiority of ideas. But I dare to put it to you. The hallmark of true leadership is not the ability to lift a bag of cement, but the capacity to come up with robust ideas to solve a nation’s problems. So, this is a man that we need to all rally around, we need to support.”
Shettima’s comments come at a time when Nigeria is grappling with significant economic challenges. The country’s inflation rate soared to 33.69 percent in May 2024, exacerbating the already difficult economic conditions faced by many Nigerians. Despite these challenges, the Vice President remains optimistic about the Tinubu administration’s ability to steer the nation towards recovery and growth.
“Yes, our economy is going through turbulence but is it confined to Nigeria alone? Let’s take a broadband picture. Is any economy immune from the challenges of the times?” Shettima asked, urging a broader perspective on the economic issues at hand. He called for fairness and patience from Nigerians, stressing that the current economic difficulties are not unique to Nigeria and that many countries are facing similar challenges.
“We have never had it so good in terms of leadership. The President means well for the nation and most importantly, he is imbued with the skill set to drive change and progress in this country,” Shettima continued. “I can tell you with all sense of confidence that the President we have now is a man of ideas who is robustly imbued with the capacity. Leadership is about competence.”
Shettima’s passionate defense of President Tinubu underscores the administration’s focus on intellectual leadership and strategic governance. He urged Nigerians to look beyond the superficial and to appreciate the depth of Tinubu concerns and rally behind him to get the job done.
