Atiku’s aide slams Shettima over Clcriticism of UK’s Kemi Badenoch

Phrank Shaibu, the Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has called on Vice President Kashim Shettima to focus on more meaningful endeavors rather than critiquing UK Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch.

Shaibu’s remarks follow Shettima’s comments at the 10th Annual Migration Dialogue held at the State House in Abuja, where the Vice President criticized Badenoch for her perceived disparaging remarks about Nigeria.

Shettima, in his address, acknowledged Badenoch’s success as the leader of the UK’s Conservative Party, expressing pride in her accomplishments despite her critical views of Nigeria.

“Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the British Labour or Conservative Party. We are proud of her in spite of her efforts at denigrating her nation of origin. She is entitled to her own opinions; she has even every right to remove the Kemi from her name,” the vice president said.

The Vice President also emphasized Nigeria’s significance on the global stage, noting that “one out of every three, four black men is a Nigerian,” and projected that by 2050, Nigeria would become the third most populous country in the world.

In a response, Shaibu took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle to urge critics of Badenoch, including Shettima, to engage in self-reflection.

“Those criticizing @KemiBadenoch should pause for a moment of introspection. The mere fact that her name is Kemi or that she has Yoruba roots does not automatically render her Nigerian. After all, Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus @gabrieljesus9 is not the son of God,” he said.

He further advised Shettima to focus on productive initiatives, stating, “He should find something useful to do with his time!”