I was most demonised person under Jonathan administration – Shettima

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Thursday in Abuja recounted his ordeal under the administration of the former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Shettima made the revelation 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, ” Shettima said.

The Vice-President also expressed his admiration to Mr Mohammed Adoke for his courage, conviction and capacity to stand for what he believes in.

” 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 also commended Adoke for the courage to forgive all those who had offended him in the course of his public duty.

Our correspondent reports that the 26-chapter book on the OPL 245, also known as Malabu oil deal scandal, centres on a 2011 agreement in which Royal Dutch Shell and Italy’s Eni paid $1.3 billion to acquire Nigeria’s deep-water oil licence.

The oil block is believed to hold nine billion barrels of crude.