Vice President Kashim Shettima has taken a swipe at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his repeated bids for the presidency.
Shettima spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, at the Presidential Villa.
The Vice President said he would not follow former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, in calling Atiku “Kachalla” — a title commonly used for bandit leaders.
“I will not follow suit with the maverick Babachir Lawal to call him Kachalla, no” Shettima said.
He then mocked Atiku’s presidential ambition, saying the former vice president, who is contesting for the 8th time, should not be compared to former American President Abraham Lincoln.
“Atiku, who has contested the presidency of this country for the 8th time, is no Abraham Lincoln. He’s more of Odinga Odinga,” he said.
Shettima was apparently comparing Atiku to Raila Odinga, the Kenyan opposition leader who contested the presidency five times without success.
The inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, led by Senator Abdulaziz Yari as Director-General, is part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
