Tinubu vs Shettima: Second Insider Speaks on Alleged Rift, Says "No Relationship is 100%"

• President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have been said to be on good terms, contrary to the claim that there was a rift between them
• An APC chieftain and former member of the party's Board of Trustees, Ismaeel Ahmed, dismissed the claim, adding that it was absolutely a rumour
• Ahmed would be the second insider following the disclosure by Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former presidential aide who recently resigned from the administration of President Tinubu

Ismaeel Ahmed, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former member of the party's Board of Trustees, dismissed the allegation of a rift between President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Ahmed, while speaking in an interview on Channels Television programmes on Tuesday, June 17, described the claim as "malicious rumours" and that the report has no substance because the two leaders enjoy a cordial relationship.

His comment reads in part:

“It’s (friction) not true. I know it very well. Who is ever in a 100 per cent relationship with anyone? There is trust between President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima. We are trying to create an issue where there is none.”

He further said all the claims are rumours, "absolutely rumours", expressing the confidence that there was no discussion about substituting the vice president in 2027, nor was there any discussion of blocking the vice president at the presidential villa.

The APC chieftain posited that the rumours were being spread by malicious people who have no idea of what is going on within the presidency or do not have an idea of how it works.

Here is the video of Ahmed's interview:

How many people have debunked Tinubu, Shettima's rift?

Ahmed would be the second insider in the presidency who would debunk the rift between President Tinubu and his vice. The first was Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former presidential aide who recently resigned from the administration of President Tinubu. He disclosed that there was no rift between the president and Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Baba-Ahmed, who served as special adviser to the president on political matters in the office of the vice president, said he did not notice any rift between Tinubu and Shettima when he was serving in that office.

The former presidential aide's comment was a response to the question that there were reports plotting around that Vice President Shettima was being steadily and systematically isolated by the Tinubu clique of supporters in the presidency

The alleged rift between Tinubu and Shettima became headlines amid the plot by the opposition leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna and Rivers governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, to sack the ruling APC in the 2027 election through a coalition movement.

How to stop presidents from removing the VP

Legit.ng earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu's alleged rift with Vice President Kashim Shettima has been dismissed by Barrister Oladotun Hassan.

Hassan, a legal practitioner, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, explained that such rumours should not be entertained.

He suggested that people should be allowed to pick forms and contest the VP position to stop unnecessary dismissal claims.

Source: Legit.ng