VP Kashim Shettima
Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima has said the toughest phases of Nigeria’s aggressive economic reset undertaken by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are officially over, clearing the runway for an era of pure harvest, nationwide growth and prosperity.
He declared that the administration’s painful but necessary economic reforms have successfully laid the groundwork for prosperity, promising that the next phase will deliver the tangible fruits of these sacrifices to citizens.
Speaking on Monday in Calabar, Cross River State, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally, Senator Shettima rallied support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the state governor, Prince Bassey Edet Otu, as well as other APC candidates in the 2027 general elections, describing them as trustworthy friends of the people.
Stating that the administration has successfully completed the hardest part of the economic reset, he argued that no rival political party has the capacity to alter the nation’s economic trajectory.
VP Shettima assured Nigerians that the upcoming second term would focus entirely on delivering prosperity and tangible rewards for all citizens if President Tinubu’s mandate is renewed.
“We are confident of this promise to deliver for this nation because we have already done the most difficult job of economic reset. None of the other options available has the capacity to move the needle of the economy. We have rescued the economy, and the road ahead is one of harvest. This second term is one of harvest, for you and all Nigerians.
“I therefore stand before you today to ask you, once again, to renew the mandate of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and myself as Vice President. And another term for Senator Bassey Edet Otu and Hon. Peter Odey as Governor and Deputy Governor of Cross River State, respectively,” he stated.
The Vice President maintained that what has brought the APC and Nigerians together is an alliance for progress, prosperity, opportunity and dignity, stressing that the conviction that must govern every decision is that the people are the purpose.
He noted that the Tinubu administration and the APC are seeking the opportunity to carry their work into a second term because authority belongs to the people, and those entrusted with authority must return with an account of stewardship and a programme worthy of further trust.
Senator Shettima commended the APC in the state for keeping its house in order and becoming a model of strength and vision, unity and discipline, courage and conviction, loyalty and service, sacrifice and solidarity, noting that the discipline within its ranks has produced diligence in government.
He said when the administration took office in 2023, it had no doubt about the need to open up Cross River State to the world, which informed the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project.
“This is the wisdom behind the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway. This transformative infrastructure project will connect coastal communities. It will ease the movement of goods and people. It will expand tourism. It will attract investors and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs. Our vision is for Cross River to become a major beneficiary of this economic revolution,” he stated.
The VP also said the Bakassi Deep Sea Port has received Federal Government approval and support under President Tinubu, pledging to make the dream come true as an international maritime gateway.
This gateway, according to him, will attract shipping companies, generate employment, stimulate industrial development and open enormous economic opportunities for factories, businesses and households sustained by trade.
He added that proposing Calabar as the location for the Gulf of Guinea Commission Secretariat would strengthen the state’s international visibility, attract diplomatic and commercial activity, stimulate hospitality and tourism, create employment and translate regional cooperation into economic opportunities.
VP Shettima assured Nigerians that the Federal Government recognises Cross River’s littoral status and acknowledges its efforts towards resolving the dispute over 46 oil wells.
He further stated that the government is prepared to ensure a resolution is reached to strengthen the state’s maritime identity and open up prospects for greater participation in the blue economy, maritime investment and potential derivation benefits.
Regarding education, the Vice President said the state is well represented in the disbursement of education funds through NELFUND, which drives human capital development, provides relief for parents, ensures continued schooling for young people and widens access to higher education.
He maintained that no parent should have to watch their children’s abilities go unfulfilled because of a shortage of money, saying the initiative aligns with Project HOPE Education for stronger foundational learning, teacher development, better school management, improved access to quality education and greater accountability.
Insisting that the administration has so much to finish and complete, the VP demanded continuity with scrutiny because citizens should never have to surrender their questions to demonstrate support.
He assured Nigerians that the government would keep the affairs of the people at the centre, listen when households speak of hardship, act when communities identify neglect and correct what fails the public. The people are the purpose.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the APC, Prof. Nentanwe Yilwatda @nentawe1, who appealed to the people of Cross River to support the party in the forthcoming elections at all levels, said President Tinubu is a change agent who deserves re-election on many grounds.
He cited the consolidation of the deep seaport project, the resuscitation of the Calabar Port and the Trans-Sahara Superhighway, among other projects, as justification for supporting the APC ticket in the 2027 presidential election.
In his welcome address, Governor Bassey Otu saluted the courage and farsightedness of President Tinubu, particularly in leading Nigeria through a difficult period and setting it on the path of genuine prosperity and sustainable development.
Highlighting the President’s policies in agriculture, education, industry and security, the governor assured Nigerians that the people of Cross River would unanimously ensure President Tinubu’s re-election, noting that the benefits of the administration’s reforms were already manifesting and would yield greater results in the years to come.
For his part, the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Sen. Abdulaziz Yari, said President Tinubu had performed creditably well and deserved a second term, dispelling rumours that the northern part of the country would not support the President’s re-election bid.
Earlier, during a courtesy visit to the palace of the Obong of Calabar, His Eminence, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu, the Vice President said the visit to the royal father was to acquaint him with the party’s aspirations in the 2027 general elections and to pay homage to the traditional institution in the state.
He applauded the paramount ruler of the Efik people for his steadfast devotion and dedication to the preservation of the cultural heritage and virtues of the Efik nation, which he noted were worthy of emulation by political leaders across the country.
For his part, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State, sought royal blessings and support for the APC and the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In his remarks, the Obong of Calabar thanked his guests for the visit and the honour of presenting their wishes, aspirations and requests for royal recognition and approval.
He said the visit to the palace was the beginning of greater unity among traditional rulers in the state and urged unity and peaceful coexistence among the leaders and people of the state.
He also applauded the reforms and policies of the Tinubu administration, describing the President as a man with the courage to undertake difficult reforms with long-term benefits for the country and its citizens.
Also present at the Calabar campaign rally were Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Governors Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Monday Okpebholo of Edo and Hope Uzodinma of Imo; members of the APC Presidential Campaign Council; and party leaders from Cross River State, the South-South region and beyond.
