Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum and his Katsina State counterpart Dikko Radda yesterday lengthened the number of congratulatory messages sent to Vice-President Kashim Shettima on his 60th birthday.
Also, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Northern Senators, former Senate President Ahmed Lawan and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President) Stanley Nkwocha joined in felicitating the celebrant.
The congratulators, in separate statements, described Shettima as a bridge-builder, accomplished, detribalised, courageous and selfless statesman who has contributed immensely to national development.
Akpabio, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, said Shettima’s 60th birthday is not only a milestone but an opportunity to celebrate his contributions to Nigeria’s development.
He described the Vice President as an ‘accomplished public servant’ and ‘steadfast patriot,’ noting that his career had taken him from commissioner to governor, senator and Vice President.
Akpabio said that Shettima demonstrated courage and resilience while governing Borno State during one of the most challenging periods in the state’s history, when terrorism posed a major threat to the people and the authority of the Nigerian state.
He said: ‘Yet you(Shettima) remained at your duty post, providing leadership in the face of danger and demonstrating that adversity must never be permitted to extinguish hope.’
The Senate President said Shettima had brought the same resilience, experience and patriotic commitment to his current role as Vice President.
He also praised the partnership between Shettima and President Tinubu in implementing the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as an example of the importance of unity of purpose at the highest level of government.
Governor Zulum said that the Vice-President’s commitment to the nation and track record ‘ continue to inspire us to build further and strive for excellence for our people.”
Zulum lauded him for choosing a low-key celebration, which he said portrays Shettima’s known traits of humility, selflessness, and a resolve to focus on the serious national cause.
He said: ‘I am mindful, Your Excellency, of your recent appeal for a low-key celebration. This request reflects your characteristic selflessness and your conviction that public attention must remain focused on the serious work of national development.
”However, for us in Borno, it is too personal to forgo this auspicious occasion without celebrating.
‘Your Excellency, this milestone offers a profound moment to reflect on a life defined by immense sacrifices for democracy and a lasting legacy of impact in both Borno State and the nation at large.
‘ We deeply honour your courage, wisdom, and steadfast dedication to democratic principles.’
He prayed that ”Almighty Allah (SWT) continues to guide and strengthen the vice-president ”with boundless wisdom.”
Radda, who is Zulum’s counterpart in Katsina State, described Shettima as ‘a dependable hand in nation-building’ whose experiences, resilience and commitments to public service have continued to contribute to national development.”
He also referred to the Vice President as the patriot who has built an enduring record of service, from his years of leadership in Borno State to his present responsibility of supporting President Tinubu in steering the affairs of the country.
According to him, Shettima’s calm disposition, grasp of national issues and ability to connect with people across different backgrounds have remained valuable qualities in the discharge of his responsibilities.
The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) noted in a statement by its Chairman, Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, that Shettima’s progression from commissioner and two-term governor to senator and Vice President was defined by resilience, intellect and patriotic commitment.
The Northern senators said Shettima had distinguished himself as a bridge-builder and voice of reason, particularly during his time in the 9th Senate.
They also commended his performance as Vice President, describing him as a national leader who had served with ‘conviction, competence, and compassion’.
The forum said Shettima, as the leading representative of Northern Nigeria in the present administration, carried the hopes and expectations of millions of people in the region.
The senators also praised what they described as Shettima’s ability to balance loyalty to President Tinubu with his responsibility to articulate the interests of the North.
‘Your balancing role as both a loyal lieutenant to Mr President and a voice for your people is a testament to the political dexterity that has marked your career,’ they said.
Former Senate President Lawan, in his message, referred to Shettima as an ‘outstanding statesman’ who
distinguished himself through his mastery of legislative engagement, eloquence and patriotic zeal while representing Borno Central.
He said the Vice President’s wealth of experience and intellectual depth remained valuable to the Tinubu administration, APC and Nigerians.
Also, Nkwocha described Shettima as a courageous and loyal leader whose humanity, warmth and compassion have remained undiminished by the pressures and privileges of public office.
Nkwocha said his years of working closely with the Vice President had offered him invaluable lessons about leadership, loyalty, courage and responsibility that could not be learnt from books.
He called Shettima ‘a most detribalised Nigerian one can meet’, saying he had remained grounded in his convictions, friendships and sense of duty through difficult moments in public life.
Reflecting on his close working relationship with Shettima, Nkwocha said proximity to the Vice President had enabled him to observe first-hand how he responded to the enormous pressures associated with public service.
‘There are things one learns from books, and there are things one learns only by being close enough to watch another human being travel through difficult moments. Working with you has given me many of the latter lessons,’ he said.