Shettima Condemnns Tinubu’s Removal of Rivers Governor Fubara ...says President has no such powers.

  Shettima Condemnns Tinubu’s Removal of Rivers Governor, Fubara

...says President has no such powers.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has raised concerns over the legality of removing an elected governor without constitutional backing, in what appeared to be a veiled criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s controversial ouster of Rivers State Governor Simi Fubara in March 2025. Although the National Assembly later ratified the decision, reports alleged that lawmakers were bribed by the president’s allies. Since then, a retired military general has been acting in Fubara’s place.

Speaking at a book launch in Abuja on Thursday, Shettima referenced his experience as former governor of Borno State to warn against presidential overreach. He recalled how former President Goodluck Jonathan once considered removing him, only to be advised against it by then-Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and Attorney-General Mohammed Adoke. “You do not have the power to remove a sitting governor,” Shettima quoted Adoke as saying during a Federal Executive Council meeting.

Shettima praised Adoke for defending the constitution, noting that another cabinet member, Senior Advocate Kabiru Turaki, also rejected Jonathan’s plan. “That was how the matter was laid to rest,” he said, adding that he was once labeled “public enemy number one” during Jonathan’s tenure, yet found it in himself to forgive. His comments emphasized the dangers of unconstitutional actions, especially at the highest levels of power.

Though he avoided directly addressing Fubara’s removal, Shettima’s remarks signaled disapproval of presidential interference in state affairs. His decision to break silence on the matter could worsen tensions with President Tinubu, particularly after a recent rift in the ruling party where leaders endorsed Tinubu for 2027 without naming Shettima as his running mate.