‘You Have No Power to Remove Elected Governor’ – VP Shettima Tackles Tinubu on Fubara’s Removal

Shettima subtly condemned the president’s action by highlighting his own experience as a former governor, warning against presidential overreach.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Thursday appeared to publicly distance himself from President Bola Tinubu over the controversial removal of Rivers State Governor, Simi Fubara, stating such action has no constitutional backing.

Governor Fubara was removed from office on March 18, 2025, in a unilateral decision by President Tinubu. The National Assembly later ratified the move, amid reports that lawmakers allegedly accepted cash bribes from allies of the presidency. Since his removal, a retired military general has been acting as governor.

Speaking at a book launch in Abuja on Thursday, Mr. Shettima subtly criticised the president’s action, drawing from his experience as a former governor and warning against federal interference in state matters.

“Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was floating the idea of removing this Borno governor (pointing at himself), and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, had the courage to tell the president: You don’t have the power to remove an elected councillor,” Mr. Shettima said while speaking at the launch of former attorney-general Bello Adoke’s book.

Shettima went further to commend Adoke for standing firm against unconstitutional actions during Jonathan’s administration:

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“The president was still unconvinced, he mooted the idea at the Federal Executive Council, Mr Mohammed Adoke told the president: You do not have the power to remove a sitting governor,” the vice-president said. “They sought the opinion of another SAN in the cabinet, Kabiru Turaki, who also said: I am of the candid opinion of my senior colleagues. That was how the matter was laid to rest.”

He added:

“I want to thank you for the courage to forgive those who have offended you. In the last four years of the Jonathan government, I was the public enemy number one.”

Though Shettima did not mention Fubara’s removal directly, the tone of his remarks left observers in no doubt about his stance on presidential interference in state governance.

A presidential spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Shettima’s statement.

Political analysts say Shettima’s public comments could deepen tensions between him and Tinubu, especially following a recent State House meeting where party leaders endorsed Tinubu for a second term in 2027 without immediately endorsing Shettima as his running mate — a move seen as a break from Nigerian political tradition.