Rabiu Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has disagreed with Vice-President Kashim Shettima over his description of Peter Obi as a “master of bogus statistics.”
Kwankwaso defended Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, arguing that although mistakes are possible, Shettima’s criticism of the former Anambra State governor was unwarranted.
He made the remarks on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television, where he was asked to comment on Shettima’s criticism of Obi’s statistics and economic proposals.
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Reacting to the vice-president’s comments, Kwankwaso questioned what people expected Shettima to say.
He explained that he regularly listens to Obi and takes time to examine the figures he presents. According to Kwankwaso, most of the statistics cited by the NDC presidential candidate were accurate.
Kwankwaso acknowledged that anyone could make an error or experience a slip of the tongue. However, he maintained that this did not justify Shettima’s remarks.
He said he disagreed with the vice-president’s assessment of Obi.
Shettima Challenges Obi’s 2023 Election Claim
Shettima had criticised Obi on Wednesday, questioning his claim that he won the 2023 presidential election and expressing reservations about his proposed economic policies.
The vice-president said he respected Obi but faulted his assertion about the election outcome, arguing that he had not provided evidence to support the claim.
Shettima also labelled Obi a “master of bogus statistics and incoherent economic prescriptions,” challenging the reliability of his figures and the soundness of his economic proposals.
He further argued that economic policies adopted from other countries might not deliver the desired results if local conditions and circumstances were ignored.
To explain his position, Shettima compared such an approach to trying to fit a garment made for a smaller person onto someone with a much larger body.
Kwankwaso Highlights Obi’s Knowledge of Statistics
In contrast, Kwankwaso praised Obi’s familiarity with statistics concerning Nigeria and other countries, describing the knowledge as an advantage for a presidential candidate.
He noted that Obi could discuss figures relating to different parts of the world, including Europe and Asia, and considered this a positive quality.
Kwankwaso’s defence comes amid renewed political exchanges over Obi’s claims about the 2023 presidential election and his proposed approach to managing Nigeria’s economy.
While Shettima has questioned the accuracy of Obi’s figures and the practicality of his economic ideas, Kwankwaso insists that most of the statistics presented by his party’s presidential candidate were correct.
