Vice President Kashim Shettima revealed on Thursday that an attempt to remove him from office as Borno State Governor in 2014 through the declaration of a state of emergency failed because of the interventions of the former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Shettima who spoke at a book launch in Abuja said the former AGF Mohammed Bello Adoke and Speaker Aminu Tambuwal courageously told Jonathan that he did not have the powers to remove an elected Governor not even a Councillor.
The Vice President was a special guest of honour at the launch of a book titled ‘OPL 245: Inside story of the $1:3b Nigerian Oil Bloc’ authored by the former Minister of Justice and AGF.
Adoke’s book offers a raw narrative of the high-stakes negotiations that led to the 2011 Resolution Agreements between the Nigerian government, Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd, Shell Plc, and Eni S.p.A. of Italy.
The OPL 245 deal has witnessed intense scrutiny and investigation in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, the United States, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Speaking at the event, Vice President Shettima said “Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of whom we have shealth the sword, and have now recalibrated our relationship, was muting the idea of removing ‘this Borno Governor, this Borno Governor,’ and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the then Speaker of the House of Representatives had the courage to the tell the President that Your Excellency, you don’t have the power remove an elected councillor.”
“I was a public enemy number one,” Vice President Shettima stressed.
He continued “The President was still not convinced. He muted the idea at the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
“I admire Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke fundamentally for his courage and convictions, for his capacity to stand for what he believes in.
“He told the then Mr. President Goodluck Jonathan – you do not have the power to remove a sitting governor not even a councillor.
“They sought the opinion of another SAN in the cabinet Kabiru Turaki, who said, I concur with the opinion of my senior colleague.
“That is how the matter was laid to rest. But that was how my relationship with Mr. Bello Adoke and Aminu Tambuwal became eternally sealed,” Shettima the gathering at the book launch.
Commending the former AGF Adoke for choosing to courageously tell his story of his travails, Vice President Shettima said, public officers in such capacities needed to account for their stewardship.
In the book, Adoke disclosed that his steadfast refusal to yield to the pressures of influential figures—including allies of the late dictator General Sani Abacha, who have longstanding ties to former President Buhari—triggered a deliberate campaign of harassment and criminalization against him.
Addressing the guests, Adoke said “I did not set out to denigrate anyone, but to set the record straight and provide valuable insights into a transaction that was not only carried out in furtherance of the national interest, but also to safeguards Nigeria economic interest as it relates to the exploitation of our hydrocarbon resources.”
The former Justice Minister who declared that he has since forgiven those who caused him the pains, noted, “My belief in the Nigerian project remains unshakable.”
According to the former Justice Minister “My traducers, state and non state actors alike, ensured that I suffered immense public audium, loss of reputation, earnings and family life for the role I played in ensuring the implementation of an agreement in 2011, not withstanding that I was boldly carrying out the lawful directives of the President in the exercise of his executive powers under the Constitution.
“The book has revealed the damaging role of anti-corruption campaigners, local and international, especially when their motive and less than altruistic laced with unethical conduct and desire to achieve nothing more than to destroy hard-earned reputations.
“Their use of unethical and illegal tactics, as was done in my case, to satisfy narrow interests and predetermined outcomes, must be deprecated,” He added.
Adoke continued that “It was during my travail that I learned that a public officer with a verbal position in government could be persuaded, in the national interest to lie on oath to ensure victory in the spurious suit instituted on behalf of the government.
“I have always believed the public prosecution should be conducted ethically and only when the facts support the charges.”
Other speakers at the book launch include former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, former President of the Senate Bukola Saraki, and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
Former Governor El-Rufai told guests how AGF Adoke played a key role in convincing former President Jonathan to seamlessly hand over power to Mohammed Buhari after his defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Pius Ayim who represented former President Jonathan at the book launch as chairman, urged Nigerians to be conscious of the fact that power belongs to God.
He said “Any society that doesn’t pursue justice will never either witness peace or progress.
The book was reviewed by Dr. Reuben Abati who served as presidential spokesman while AGF Adoke held sway as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.
