Rabiu Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has defended the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, against Vice President Kashim Shettima’s description of him as a master of “bogus statistics and incoherent economic prescriptions.”
Kwankwaso spoke on Thursday while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, according to a report by Daily Post on October 15, 2026.
Reacting to Shettima’s remark, Kwankwaso said slips are inevitable as human beings, adding that he regularly listens to Obi and verifies the figures he presents.
“I always listen to Peter Obi and take time to check the statistics, and most of the figures are correct. But the only thing is that, as human beings, we’re bound to make mistakes or slip of the tongue. So I am happy that our presidential candidate is somebody who is conversant with the statistics, not only in this country but all over the world; in Europe, in Asia and everywhere. And I think that is a good sign,” Kwankwaso said.
He described Obi’s grasp of statistics across Nigeria, Europe, Asia and other regions as a positive sign for the party.
The exchange comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general election, where the NDC has fielded Obi as presidential candidate with Kwankwaso as running mate, while Shettima is the incumbent Vice President.
Kwankwaso reiterated that Obi’s familiarity with data at home and abroad was a good indication for the NDC’s presidential campaign ahead of next year’s election.