Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that he cannot bring himself to a level in which he would engage in trading words with Vice President Kashim Shettima, whom he described as lacking respect and cultural value.
Atiku, who stated this on Sunday, April 12, 2026, pointedly said that he would not engage Shettima in a public exchange.
He stressed that respect and decorum are important values and culture that are well observed in Northern Nigerian (Arewa).
In the words of Atiku; “I cannot answer Kashim because he is disrespectful and that is not the attitude of an Arewa person. “I am senior to Shettima in age, longer years of experience in public service and in nearly everything which placed me far ahead of him in different positions,” he said.
Atiku’s comments come amid rising political tensions, as exchanges between key figures in Nigeria’s political space continue to draw public attention.
Political observers are of the view that the development reflects deepening divisions among political leaders, especially as discussions around governance and future elections begin to gather momentum.
