Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday, recalled how former President Goodluck Jonathan tried unsuccessfully to remove him from office as the Borno State Governor.
According to Shettima, he was the most demonized and prime public enemy during the last four years of former President Jonathan’s administration.
He said that at that time, Jonathan sought every way to remove him from office but was counselled on the futility of his efforts by the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, and another cabinet member in the Jonathan administration, Kabiru Turaki.
The Vice President submitted that despite the ordeals of that time, he and Jonathan have mended fences and moved on with their relationship.
Naijaonpoint reports that Shettima recalled the events at the public presentation of a book titled ”OPL 245: Inside Story of the $1.3 billion Nigeria Oil Block, “authored by the former Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke.
According to Shettima, “In the last four years of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, I was the most demonized person, I was the public enemy number one.
“There are two gentlemen seated here. Certain decisions are taken in a very rear peace circle. The President, the Vice President, the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
” In one of such conclaves, former President Goodluck Jonathan with whom we have sheath the sword and have now recalibrated our relationship was muting the idea of removing this Borno governor.
” Aminu Tambuwal, the then Speaker of the House of Representatives had the courage to tell the President that your Excellency, you don’t have the powers to remove an elected councillor.
” The President was still not convinced, he muted the idea at the Federal Executive Council.”
The Vice President commended Adoke for his courage, conviction and capacity to stand for what he believes in by telling Jonathan he doesn’t have the constitutional powers to impeach him as a sitting Governor.
“He (Mr Adoke) told the then President that Mr President you do not have the powers to remove a sitting governor not even a councillor.
“They sought for the opinion of another SAN in the cabinet, Kabiru Turaki, who said I’m concurring with the opinion of my senior colleague.
“That was how the matter was laid to rest but that was how my relationship with Mr Adoke and Aminu Tambuwal became eternally sealed,” Shettima said.
He also commended Adoke for the courage to forgive all those who had offended him in the course of his public duty.