By Divine Sam

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has taken another swipe at Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), questioning his economic proposals and accusing him of relying on questionable statistics rather than presenting practical solutions to Nigeria’s challenges.

Shettima made the remarks at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, where he acknowledged Obi’s opposition to restoring the petrol subsidy but argued that the former Anambra State governor had little else to offer Nigerians.

“I respect Peter Obi for having the courage to say he’s not going to restore the petrol subsidy, but beyond spouting some dubious statistics, Mr Peter Obi has absolutely nothing to offer,” the Vice-President said.

The latest comments add to the growing exchange between Shettima and Obi over their differing views on Nigeria’s economic direction and the policies needed to address the country’s challenges.

In an earlier criticism, the Vice-President questioned Obi’s comparisons between Nigeria and Bangladesh, arguing that economic policies that work in one country cannot automatically produce the same results in another without taking local circumstances into account.

Using a clothing-size analogy to drive home his point, Shettima said: “He seems convinced that a size 36 shirt tailored for Bangladesh will somehow fit Nigeria’s size 52 frame.”

According to him, Nigeria’s economic realities require policies designed around its unique population, institutions, political environment and economic structure, rather than the adoption of figures and prescriptions drawn from other countries.

“A country of over 250 million people cannot be governed through borrowed statistics and economic prescriptions detached from its peculiarities,” he added.

Shettima also challenged Obi’s repeated assertion that he won the 2023 presidential election, describing the claim as lacking supporting evidence.

The Vice-President further characterised Obi’s position as a “delusion of grandeur” and accused him of presenting familiar political ideas as though they represented a fresh approach to governing Nigeria.

The latest exchange underscores the continuing political differences between the Tinubu administration and Obi, whose economic arguments and political ambitions remain subjects of debate as preparations and alignments ahead of the 2027 general election gather momentum.