By Hassan Saliu
The Vice President was in the ancient city of Ilorin on Wednesday, 16th September 2026 to grace the turbaning ceremony of the Kwara State Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who was turbaned as Sardauna of Ilorin. The occasion was well attended, including the presence of some governors and deputy governors who came to show solidarity with the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. He used the occasion to pass comments, though indirectly, on some current issues in the polity. Two issues have arisen regarding the points he raised and the manner of raising them. He was, no doubt, poetic in his delivery in Ilorin.
He started by waxing philosophical when admonishing on good conduct and virtue by maintaining that political attainments are gifts from God. He then went on to preach politics without bitterness. Then came the controversy. He recalled that only six northern governors initially identified with candidate Tinubu before the 2022 primaries of the ruling party. In the process, he mentioned the names of two governors who did that, leaving his listeners to guess about the other governors in the North who shunned candidate Tinubu before the 2023 elections. He, however, went mute on what happened during the elections with the northern governors. This was the most controversial of all his submissions in Ilorin.
One would say that most of his submissions on the occasion were clearly unnecessary. By so doing, he has stirred controversy on what he meant and the relevance of the disclosures he made. His media office has since waded into the controversy, due to different motives that have been read into them, by clarifying what he meant.
For this post, some observations can be made on the declaration.
One, he was talking directly to his fellow politicians to play politics of moderation and inclusion, given the approaching general elections in the country. Some would say he was referring to Kwara politics. Two, he sent a signal and warning to northern governors in their disposition to support the President. He may have identified betrayal in the ranks of the governors who claimed to be supporting President Tinubu for a second term and used the occasion to advise them on the need to remain resolute with their support.
Three, he presented his principal as a good man. Again, one would want to observe that this line was also unnecessary since no one can serve as deputy to a bad man. Perhaps, he went this far to show his level of loyalty to his boss. Four, by expressing his joy that governors of Imo and Kwara States are now working together, he emphasised unity and cohesion of the APC.
On the whole, the Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, spoke to issues affecting his party in a more poetic manner. I am of the opinion that the dimension of the situation they found on ground when their government came in, which he mentioned, should have been deepened. Of course, that would mean criticising the immediate preceding administration, a tendency that is already generating tension between the government and the CPC wing of the ruling party. My personal opinion is that his speech on that occasion should have followed a different trajectory and tone to avoid creating the impression of lack of unity in his party.
Hassan A. Saliu,
Ilorin.
