Shettima says Obi has lost 2027 race to 'lies and bogus statistics'

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has talked himself out of the 2027 race with what he called lies and inflated statistics.

Shettima spoke on Friday at the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. He said Nigerians no longer get excited when Obi speaks.

“He has run himself out of this race with his lies and bogus statistics,” Shettima said, according to Daily Trust. He added that Obi “no longer excites when he speaks these days.”

The Vice-President also claimed Obi had “sneaked out” of the country to rest and may have avoided Lagos and Abuja on his return. The reports did not say when Obi travelled or where he went, and there was no immediate response from him or his campaign.

Tinubu in Uyo for project commissioning

The rally followed President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Akwa Ibom, where he commissioned projects by Governor Umo Eno. Among them was a new terminal building at the Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo.

Tinubu called the visit a homecoming and recalled his days working in Mobile, saying he contributed to the development of Eket without knowing he would one day become President.

He described Eno as a visionary leader and said the governor’s work led the Federal Government to grant the airport international flight status.

One detail in the reports differs. Daily Trust named Obi’s party as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). Daily Post mentioned both the ADC and the NDC in the same passage, without explaining the link.

What happens next

Obi has not publicly replied to Shettima’s claims. With campaigns building towards 2027, statements like these are likely to keep shaping the argument between the APC and the opposition over who can be trusted with Nigeria’s economy and security.