Sunday Igboho has called on President Bola Tinubu to step in and address the recent verbal exchange between Vice President Kashim Shettima and British Secretary of State for Business, Kemi Badenoch. Igboho, in a personally signed press release, emphasized that Badenoch had not committed any wrong by speaking out against the deep-rooted corruption that continues to hinder Nigeria’s development. According to Igboho, it is high time that the president, who hails from the Yoruba ethnic group like Badenoch, directs Shettima to focus on his constitutional responsibilities instead of engaging in a futile verbal war.
“It is incumbent on President Bola Tinubu, who is also of Yoruba lineage, to direct Shettima to focus on his duties as vice president rather than engage in a verbal war against Badenoch. She merely expressed her candid and truthful opinion on the pervasive corruption in Nigeria’s system,” Igboho stated.
The controversial figure didn’t stop there, he drew a stark comparison between the current administration and the previous one, led by former President Muhammadu Buhari. Igboho noted that during Buhari’s rule, anyone daring to launch verbal attacks against the Fulani ethnic group would face swift repercussions. He made it clear that when he himself spoke out against the destruction of farmlands, killings, and the widespread sexual violence attributed to Fulani herders under Buhari’s administration, the consequences were deadly.
“When Muhammadu Buhari was in power, nobody dared launch offensive or verbal attacks against his Fulani ethnic group without facing consequences. Because of my agitation against the destruction of farmlands, killings, and sexual violence by Fulani herders during Buhari’s tenure, security agents, on his orders, stormed my residence on July 1, 2021, killing two people and arresting 13 others,” Igboho recounted.
Igboho went on to sharply criticize the current government for failing to address the very real issues that Nigerians face daily economic hardship, poverty, kidnapping, and rampant insecurity. Instead of tackling these life-threatening issues, he said, Shettima had chosen to use his position to target Badenoch.
“Majority of Nigerians are experiencing harrowing poverty and insecurity, yet the Federal Government remains lost in finding solutions. Rather than deploying measures to alleviate the suffering of the masses, the Vice President is busy directing his energy toward Badenoch,” Igboho lamented.
In Igboho’s eyes, the government’s focus has shifted from the needs of the Nigerian people to personal feuds and irrelevant distractions.
The statement shows a growing frustration among Nigerians who are suffering from an economic and security crisis. Igboho’s criticism reflected a broader dissatisfaction with a government that seems more focused on internal conflicts than the welfare of the nation. In his plea, Igboho asked the president to intervene, asking him to ensure Shettima stops wasting time and energy on trivial matters.
“When has it become a sin for someone to express their opinion or state the obvious about how corruption has stunted Nigeria’s growth? Badenoch, proclaiming her true identity as Yoruba, has committed no offence. The Vice President should concentrate on his responsibilities instead of chasing shadows,” Igboho concluded.
