The current crop of lawmakers, according to vice president Kashim Shettima, should be counted among Nigerians who are the luckiest and least deserving given that Usman Oladipo, his former classmate who was named “the best-graduating student” of his 1991 master’s degree program, is currently “languishing” in a subpar financial institution.
Mr. Shettima made the remark at the 10th National Assembly retreat on Friday in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa-Ibom state, solidifying his reputation as a politician who lacks finesse in expressing an opinion without demeaning others, especially when they are not political rivals or threats.
“We are the luckiest Nigerians; we are not superior to our neighbor across the street. The vice-president said at the ceremony, “Yesterday, I hosted my classmate from the University of Ibadan, the MSc class of 1991.
The vice president insulted a former classmate and even revealed his identity in an effort to convince legislators of the importance of their roles and the need to strive for the country’s advancement.
“The best-graduating student in my class was Usman Oladipo. Oladipo is languishing as a DGM in one mediocre bank. He was the best-graduating student, and that goes to show that we are here not because we are the best of the best,” he added.
The unguarded utterances by the vice president has drawn heavy criticism and regarded as uncouth for Nigeria’s second citizen.
Mr Shettima’s condescending remarks have so far run afoul to his claims of finding power to be an “humbling” experience.
“Power is a gift from God. We are going to spend more of our lives outside power than in power. Power to me is a humbling experience. Power should be used for the good of the people,” Mr Shettima, who has a notorious history of denigrating political colleagues and ordinary citizens, said.
Last year, as campaigning intensified for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election, Mr Shettima flayed his predecessor Yemi Osinbajo as “a nice man” who “should be selling pop-corn, ice-cream” as he was not presidential material.
Additionally, he disparaged former Senate President Ahmad Lawan as a tomato trader who had no business running for president.
Although Mr Shettima later apologised for his crass remarks, many believed the apology was only an insincere afterthought following the heavy backlash from his party members and critics.
At the retreat in Ikot-Ekpene, Akwa-Ibom state, he urged the lawmakers to do their parts in making Nigeria work as a nation, given that the country’s progress was a win for the black folk.
“We are the representatives of our people, we are the representatives of the black men; that is the burden we carry. If Nigeria fails, the black man has failed, let us make Nigeria work,” he said.
