In the build-up to the APC presidential primary, Mr Shettima had described Mr Osinbajo as a nice man and that nice men do not make good leaders.
The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has finally thrown his own salvo at Kashim Shettima on the “Ice Cream seller” comment.
Mr Osinbajo, on Tuesday, during Governor Umar Guanduje’s book launch, said Mr Shettima is the major shareholder and Chairman of the Yemi Osinbajo Ice Cream company.
“Distinguished Senator Kashim Shettima, who is also the majority shareholder and Chairman of Yemi Osinbajo Ice Cream company,” he said.
In the build-up to the presidential primary, Mr Shettima had during an interview described the vice president as a nice man, adding that nice men do not make good leaders.
“Osinbajo is a good man. He is a nice man. But nice men don’t make a good leader. Nice men should be selling popcorn and ice cream,” he said at the time.
He equally poked fun at another aspirant, Senate President Ahmad Lawan with his “tomato seller comment”.
“Go to Ohiafia and ask of Ahmad Lawan, the first thing that will come to their mind is that of a tomato dealer from Maiduguri. Go to any other part of the south, does the name sell?,” Mr Shettima had said.
Mr Shettima later tendered an unreserved apology to the duo, noting that his comments were to “underline the promise Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential bid held for those yet to establish the certainty of the hurdle ahead of the APC.”
Mr Osinbajo and several others were later defeated at the APC primary election by Mr Tinubu, who polled 1,271 votes.
Since the convention, Mr Osinbajo has somewhat distanced himself from the Tinubu/Shettima campaign. His name is not in the Presidential Campaign Council of the APC.
The ruling party, however, said Mr Osinbajo was excluded at the request of President Muhammadu Buhari, to enable him focus on governance.
The vice president was a political ally of Mr Tinubu. He had served the latter as attorney general and commissioner for justice when he was Lagos State governor.
Mr Tinubu is widely believed to have nominated Mr Osinbajo as the APC vice presidential candidate in 2015.