Tinubu wearing one wristwatch since I knew him, I dress better- Shettima

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has praised President Bola Tinubu as a leader of modesty and simplicity, emphasizing his lack of interest in extravagance.

Shettima made these remarks during a book launch in Abuja on Thursday, according to a report by PUNCH.

The Vice-President highlighted Tinubu’s dedication to transforming Nigeria’s fortunes, painting a picture of a leader who is more focused on the country’s progress than on personal luxury. To illustrate his point, Shettima shared a personal story comparing his own residence in Maiduguri, Borno State, to Tinubu’s house in Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos, stating that his home in Maiduguri is more luxurious than Tinubu’s.

He recounted a particular incident where, during a visit to Tinubu’s home, the President chose to eat garri and groundnut—a humble meal—while his guests were served a variety of dishes.

Shettima’s comments come as a reminder of the values of humility and simplicity that he believes are embodied by the President, and his commitment to leading Nigeria towards a better future.

“In President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we have a leader that we can invest our trust in. I’m not playing politics, I’m speaking from the heart. I have seen the soul of Bola Tinubu, and he has a good soul.”

“He means well for the nation. He wants to live in a place of glory. He is not in power to engage in primitive capital accumulation. He is in power to leave landmarks in the sands of time. He is the most demonised politician in Nigeria. The first time I went to his house at Bourdillon, I was looking forward to seeing a mansion comparable to Buckingham Palace, with gardens, and swimming pools, but there was nothing special about that house. My house in Maiduguri is better than the house in Bourdillon.

“And at the formative stage of the APC, we held a meeting in his house. They served us a variety of meals but he opted to take garri with groundnut for lunch. Since I have known him, he has been using only one wristwatch, and in fact, I dress better than him. He doesn’t even care. He has overcome all those odds to dress well. So we need to rally around this poor man. He has taken some bold steps. The economy that we met was in a huge mess.

“But it wasn’t for us, we were part of the Buhari administration, we cannot deny that. We belong to the political family. It’s not about apportioning blame, but it’s about finding solutions to our nation’s needs. We knew there were challenges. Forget about the politics being played by the Atiku Abubakar and the obedient crowd, they all said they are going to withdraw the fuel subsidy.”

Shettima added that the economy is now on the path of growth, appealing to Nigerians to be patient with the current administration.

“The President has the courage, the political courage, and the willpower to take far-reaching decisions, and it always comes at a price. When a woman is about to give birth, it’s a very painful process but after the child has come forth, it’s a cause for celebration. I believe that posterity will be very kind to this poor man.

“He has taken far-reaching decisions, and the economy, we have crossed the river. The economy is now on a path to sustain growth. We are now exporting about 1.7 million barrels of oil per day, the Naira is stabilising against the dollar, and with the food security crisis that is confronting us, we cannot divorce ourselves from the realities in the global space.

“It’s not a localised phenomenon but ours was further compounded by the security challenges in the traditional food basket of the country, the North Central, and the North West but the security issues will be addressed, and be rest assured that in the coming months, Nigerians will see a sea of change in their fortunes. I want to ask all of us to rally around this poor man.”

Among those present at the book launch titled: ‘Navigating the Politics of Universal Education Policies in Nigeria’, were Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State; Chief Bisi Akande; Chief Pius Akinyelure, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, among others.

The book was authored by Prof Modupe Adelabu, a retired professor of Educational Administration at the Department of Educational Management at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.