The Vice-President’s remarks at Tinubu’s campaign council inauguration add to the political exchanges between the ruling camp and opposition figures ahead of the next general election.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over his repeated attempts to become Nigeria’s president, using a pointed comparison during the inauguration of President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja.
Shettima made the remark as political leaders gathered on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, to begin preparations for Tinubu’s re-election campaign ahead of the 2027 general election.
“Atiku has run for president eight times now. I don’t see him as Abraham Lincoln, but Odinka Odinka,” Shettima was quoted as saying.
The comment appeared to target Atiku’s long-standing ambition to lead Nigeria, with the Vice-President using the occasion to challenge the opposition figure’s political record and repeated presidential bids.
A long-running presidential ambition
Atiku has remained a central figure in Nigerian politics for decades and has contested the presidency on multiple occasions.
His political career has included service as Vice-President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo and subsequent efforts to secure the country’s highest elected office.
Shettima’s remarks reflect the ruling camp’s attempt to frame the coming election around the records, experience and political prospects of the leading figures seeking national leadership.
However, the Vice-President’s comparison is a political attack rather than an independent assessment of Atiku’s record or his chances in 2027.
The statement also forms part of a wider pattern of increasingly direct exchanges between supporters of Tinubu and opposition politicians as campaign preparations intensify.
Campaign rhetoric gathers momentum
The inauguration of Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign Council provided a platform for ruling-party leaders and their allies to outline their political objectives, rally supporters and criticise potential opponents.
The presence of politicians from different party backgrounds has also highlighted the administration’s effort to broaden its political support through cross-party alliances.
As the election approaches, public statements from senior political figures are likely to focus increasingly on candidates’ records, campaign strategies and competing visions for Nigeria.
Whether such rhetoric influences voters will depend on how it connects with public concerns, including the economy, security, jobs and governance.