Dare Babalola
Vice President Kashim Shettima has recalled the role Aminu Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Mohammed Adoke, an ex-Attorney General of the Federation and former Minister of Justice played in stopping his removal by Former President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to Shettima, the duo challenged the move by the former President, reminding him that no president has the power to remove an elected official in the country.
Speaking at the public presentation of a book titled, “OPL 245: Inside Story of the $1.3 billion Nigeria Oil Block”, authored by Adoke on Thursday, the former Borno Governor noted that in the last four years of former President Jonathan’s administration, which was when the Chibok girls were abducted, he was the most demonised person in the country.
The Vice President praised both men for their boldness to put the then-President on the right path by standing against his purported removal.
Shettima said, “I was the public enemy number one. There are two gentlemen seated here. Certain decisions are taken in a very rarefied circle. The President, the Vice President, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
”In one of such conclaves, former President Goodluck Jonathan with whom we have sheathed the sword and have now recalibrated our relationship was mooting the idea of removing this Borno Governor.
”Aminu Tambuwal, the then Speaker of the House of Representatives had the courage to tell the President that Your Excellency, you don’t have the powers to remove an elected councillor.”
Stressing that Jonathan was not convinced with the response he got from Tambuwal, Shettima said the then President presented the matter before the Federal Executive Council where he met stiff opposition on the issue from Adoke.
The Vice President continued, ”He (Adoke) told the then President that ‘Mr President you do not have the powers to remove a sitting governor not even a councillor’.
”They sought the opinion of another SAN in the cabinet, Kabiru Turaki, who said I concur with the opinion of my senior colleague.
”That was how the matter was laid to rest but that was how my relationship with Mr Adoke and Aminu Tambuwal became eternally sealed“
Shettima was, however, silent on whether he gave the same advice to President Bola Tinubu before suspending the Governor of Rivers State, Simi Fubara.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had in March 2025 suspended the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the state House of Assembly for six months.
He said the decision was taken to restore stability in the state that has been witnessing political turmoil as a result of the disagreement between the state governor and the state lawmakers.
However, stakeholders, critics and a sizable number of Nigerians have questioned the declaration by the president, wondering if he has the power to remove a duly elected official.
