10th NASS leadership: My remarks taken out of context – Shettima

 The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has distanced himself from what he described as “the wrong and dangerous inferences drawn by the public from his remarks” in which he was quoted as second-guessing the leadership competence of Muslims.

The vice president was alleged to have made the remark at an interaction with senators in Abuja campaigning for the emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibrin.

Shettima said his “remarks during the parley with the senators have been stripped of context and mischievously circulated as an attempt to minimize the suitability of Muslim contestants in the race for the Senate leadership.”

The vice president insisted that he emphasized the nation’s current political structure and made a case for the emergence of a Southern Christian and a Northern Muslim as the fairest balance to promote inclusivity at the centre.

In a statement issued via his verified Twitter handle on Monday by Olusola Abiola, Director of Information Office of the Vice President, Shettima stated that his remarks were motivated by a profound awareness of the divisive factors within the country and was in agreement with the All Progressives Congress, APC, pledge to ensure inclusivity across all regions and among all groups.

He lamented that the media has weaponised and, therefore, appealed for inclusivity to prevent any agenda designed to undermine the new Government and Nigeria as a whole.

Part of the statement read: “During an interactive session with senators campaigning for the emergence of Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senator Barau Jibrin to lead the 10th Senate, yesterday, Vice President @KashimSM emphasized the nation’s current political structure and made a case for the emergence of a Southern Christian and a Northern Muslim as the fairest balance to promote inclusivity at the centre.

“Vice President @KashimSM’s statement was motivated by a profound awareness of the divisive factors within our great nation and was in harmony with the governing party’s pledge to ensure inclusivity across all regions and among all groups.

“Unfortunately, the Vice President’s remarks during the parley with the senators, yesterday, have been stripped of context and mischievously circulated as an attempt to minimize the suitability of Muslim contestants in the race for the Senate leadership.

“The remarks have not only been taken out of context but also misinterpreted to suit an agenda that sabotages our collective bid for unity.

“What VP @KashimSM advocated during the meeting was that, considering Nigeria’s President and Vice President are Muslims, it would not be ill-advised for the lawmakers to choose a non-Muslim contestant, even if against a more qualified Muslim option, in order to achieve balance.

“It would be illogical for the Vice President, who is himself a Muslim and an essential member of the community, to second-guess the competence of fellow Muslims in a nation headed by a Muslim President who has demonstrated unmatched leadership qualities, on the strength of which they were elected under the banner of the APC last February.

“The VP wishes to distance himself from the wrong & dangerous inferences drawn by the public from his remarks. While some are made innocently and without mischief, there are entities that have seized on the story to cause further chaos that transcends the realm of power politics.”