By George Omagbemi
ABUJA, Nigeria | October 15, 2026. Vice-President Kashim Shettima has criticised Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, describing him as a “master of bogus statistics and incoherent economic prescriptions” over his comparisons between Nigeria and Bangladesh.
Shettima made the remarks on Wednesday, October 14, during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja, as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general election.
Although he referred to Obi as “my very good friend”, the Vice-President questioned the former Anambra State governor’s use of Bangladesh as a reference point when discussing Nigeria’s economic performance and public finance.
“He seems convinced that a size 36 shirt tailored for Bangladesh will somehow fit Nigeria’s size 52 frame,” Shettima said.
He argued that policies successful in one country cannot automatically be transferred to another without considering differences in population, economic structure, institutions and national circumstances.
According to the Vice-President, Nigeria’s population of more than 250 million makes it necessary for policymakers to develop economic prescriptions suited to the country’s specific conditions rather than rely on comparisons that overlook those differences.
Shettima also criticised Obi’s repeated assertion that he won the 2023 presidential election, describing the claim as a “delusion of grandeur”. Obi challenged the election result in court, but the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal and affirmed President Bola Tinubu’s victory in October 2023.
The exchange reflects a wider political disagreement over how Nigeria should assess its economic performance and which international examples offer useful lessons for reform.
Obi has repeatedly cited Bangladesh in his criticism of the Tinubu administration’s economic management, arguing that Nigeria’s challenges include the management and utilisation of public resources rather than borrowing alone.
However, comparisons between the two countries require more than population figures or isolated economic indicators. Bangladesh and Nigeria differ in industrial development, export composition, demographics, public finances and institutional arrangements. A meaningful comparison would therefore require consistent, dated data on indicators such as per-capita income, poverty, productivity, employment, debt servicing and human development.
Shettima said the APC campaign would focus on policy arguments and factual responses rather than personal insults. He urged party members to treat political opponents with respect, describing them as fellow Nigerians rather than enemies.
“We’ll give them facts. We’ll give them statistics. We argue with reason, not with sentiments,” he said.
The APC is scheduled to begin its presidential campaign in Kaduna on October 24, according to reports on the party’s announced timetable.
As the 2027 election approaches, the debate over Bangladesh and Nigeria highlights a central question for voters: whether competing political leaders can support their economic arguments with verifiable evidence and explain how their proposed policies would improve the lives of Nigerians.
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