Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Vice Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has publicly rejected Vice President Kashim Shettima's characterization of NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi as "the master of bogus statistics and incoherent economic prescriptions." Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, stated that he regularly cross-checks the figures Obi cites and has found most of them to be accurate.
Kwankwaso Defends Obi's Economic Data Mastery
Shettima made the critical remarks on Wednesday, October 15, during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja. The following day, Thursday, October 15, Kwankwaso responded during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today, insisting that Obi has a firm command of both local and global economic data.
Kwankwaso said he personally verifies many of the figures Obi cites in public, and the overwhelming majority have checked out. He conceded that occasional slips of the tongue are not unusual for any speaker but argued this falls far short of the pattern Shettima described.
Kwankwaso's Verdict on Shettima's Claim
The former Kano governor noted: "For him (Shettima) to come and make that statement, I don't think he is correct. So, I am happy that our presidential candidate is conversant with statistics, not only in this country but all over the world, in Europe, Asia, everywhere, and I think that is a good one."
NDC vs APC Rivalry Heats Up Ahead of 2027
The exchange marks an early sign of the sharpening rivalry between the NDC and the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 general elections. Peter Obi was ratified as the NDC's presidential candidate on May 29, 2026, after leaving the African Democratic Congress earlier that month.
Shettima's remarks at the APC campaign council launch set the tone for what is shaping up to be a combative election season, with senior figures on both sides already trading pointed assessments of each other's candidates. The dispute over Obi's use of statistics is likely to remain a central point of contention as the campaign season progresses.
