With the series of challenges facing the country at the moment, the Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima, has said that the starting point of Tinubu administration might not be rosy.
According to him, the issue of subsidy removal and the multiple exchange rate system, among others, have become serious challenges that the administration must surmount.
Shettima made this assertion while speaking at the Jumat Prayer and Lecture held in Abuja on Friday as part of the activities lined up for the May 29 handover ceremony.
Shettima, speaking on behalf of his principal, the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, said he was aware they were short on time, noting that delay might compound the deteriorating situation of the country.
“Tinubu is a fair-minded person. He will do justice to Nigeria irrespective of affiliation with political parties, religious and tribal background. We are united by our common heritage of poverty and insecurity among others. This is time for all of us to form a collate into a single force.
“Ours is a great nation waiting to unleash its great potential to the world. China was once called a sleeping giant but today, China had woken up. Nigeria needs to wake up. We are calling on all of you to pray for us for God’s guidance. I want to assure you that Tinubu will hit the ground.
“We do not have the luxury of time. The challenges facing us are getting worse. We are living in a pressing time. Be rest assured that in the fullness of time, Nigerians will pay glow tributes to us. The starting point might not be rosy let me be very honest with you.
“Oil subsidy is albatross on our neck. The multiple exchange rate system is a drain on the national economy. There are certain decisions the president-elect will take but in the fullness of time, Nigerians will not only appreciate but also celebrate us,” he said
Speaking further, the former governor of Borno State promised that women would be well represented and compensated in the incoming administration.
He said, “To my sisters, be rest assured you will be well represented in the incoming administration. Not only this, I promise you, you will be well compensated.”
Describing power as the “most ephemeral” of God’s gifts to humanity, the Vice President-elect argued that a person’s pedigree does not make them who they are.
“We’re here! We’re leaders not because of our intellect. Neither Kashim Shettima nor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu holds any PhD degree. We are what we are not because of our physical powers. We are what we are, not because of our political sagacity. There are better politicians.
“Power, to us, will be a humbling experience. It’s an opportunity to serve God and humanity. And whether we accept it or not, we are going to spend more years of our lives outside power than in power,” he added