Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, caused a stir when he jovially revisited the drama between him and the Vice Presidential Candidate of All progressives Congress, Senator Kashim Shettima, labelling the latter as the chairman and major shareholder of his ice-cream-producing company.
Osinbajo shaded the former governor when he took over the podium to give his speech during the book launch of Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, at the Nigeria Air Force Conference Centre in Abuja.
Shettima had labelled the vice president as an ice cream seller while trying to play down his political relevance in the North in his interview on ‘Politics Today’, a Channels Television programme aired on June 5.
The former governor, a strong ally and current running mate of the APC Presidential Candidate, Bola Tinubu, had described Osinbajo, in the build-up to the presidential primary, as a decent man who should be selling popcorn and ice cream.
On the same programme, Shettima also said Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, cuts the image of a tomato trader, who lacked the capacity to confront the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Although he apologised to both parties two days after the news went viral, the drama left an indelible memory in the minds of Nigerians.
It was therefore no surprise when the vice president brought up the issue again after the duo met again.
An excited Osinbajo teased, “I welcome the vice presidential candidate who is running on the platform of APC, Distinguished Senator Kashim Shettima, who is also the majority shareholder and chairman of Yemi Osinbajo Ice Cream Company.”
As the audience laughed hilariously at the joke, a blushing Shettima squirmed uncomfortably in his seat, watching from the sideline.
But rather than hit back at the vice president when he took over the microphone, a repentant acknowledged the presence of the special guests including Osinbajo whom he described as a ‘very nice man.’
Among the dignitaries in attendance were former Vice President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan; Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Kashim Shettima and his successor in Borno State, Babagana Zulum.
While disclosing that aside from him, Osinbajo and Jonathan had a great relationship with the late Umar Musa Yar’Adua, not many vice presidents and deputy governors were lucky enough to maintain a cordial relationship with their superiors.
Source: Punch
