The vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians to brace up for a tough time in 2023.

Shettima dropped the hint on Thursday in Abuja at an event organised by APC Professionals Forum with the theme, ‘Dissecting the Asiwaju Manifesto’.

He warned that the country would go through some rough waters in the coming months and years.

The vice presidential candidate said while he is an incurable optimist, he is also a realist, saying the nation cannot shield itself from the global realities and from the challenges in Ukraine.

Shettima stated: “We’re going to go through some rough waters in the coming months and years. This is why leadership is very crucial. 2023 will be a watershed election in the history of this country.”

The former Borno State governor added: “What are the options available? Our political space is filled with a lot of very careful snails. We have to provoke conversation without descending so low to engage in malicious concoctions or [casting] dubious aspersions on personalities.”

Shettima also took a swipe at the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, saying: “Peter “Gringori” Obi is my friend but “Gringori” has absolutely nothing to offer apart from dubious statistics. So [in] the choice before us, there is a difference between daylight and darkness.”