Vice President Kashim Shettima has revealed that some individuals from his home state of Borno once accused him of attempting to orchestrate the death of President Bola Tinubu through traditional outfits he gifted him during the 2023 election campaign.
Shettima made the revelation on Tuesday in Abuja while speaking at the public presentation of the autobiography of former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, titled My Life of Duty and Allegiance.
Representing President Tinubu at the event, the Vice President used the incident to highlight what he described as the growing culture of suspicion and mistrust within Nigeria’s political environment.
Recounting events from the 2023 campaign period, Shettima said he accompanied Tinubu across northern states while lobbying for support during the ruling party’s presidential primaries. According to him, he decided to provide the then-presidential aspirant with Borno-style traditional materials and caps to help him connect more closely with northern audiences.
He jokingly noted that people from Borno pride themselves on being among the best-dressed in Northern Nigeria, adding that the attire suited Tinubu well and even attracted admiration from his aides, who requested additional outfits.
However, Shettima said the situation took an unexpected turn barely three months after Tinubu assumed office.
According to him, some people from Borno reportedly visited the President and warned him against wearing the outfits gifted by the Vice President. They allegedly claimed that Shettima had spiritually manipulated the clothes and caps as part of a plot to eliminate Tinubu and eventually assume the presidency.
The Vice President said President Tinubu later informed him of the allegation after his return from China, where he had represented Nigeria at an international forum.
Shettima recalled Tinubu questioning the logic behind the accusation, pointing out that at the time the clothes were given, neither of them occupied the offices they currently hold.
According to him, Tinubu reasoned that when the gifts were presented, he was merely an aspirant seeking his party’s ticket and Shettima was neither vice president nor presidential candidate, making the conspiracy theory baseless.
To demonstrate his dismissal of the claim, Shettima said the President deliberately continued wearing the traditional outfits for an entire week.
He described the episode as an example of the unhealthy political tactics and suspicion that have increasingly found their way into Nigeria’s power circles.
The Vice President lamented that mistrust now threatens relationships and unity, stressing that Nigerians share a common destiny and should resist narratives that breed division.
Drawing a contrast with Nigeria’s earlier political era, Shettima referenced an account earlier shared by the Sultan of Sokoto, who spoke about how his family regularly sent gallons of fura to Gowon during his time as Head of State.
According to Shettima, Gowon accepted such gestures without suspicion, reflecting a level of trust and national cohesion that appears to be diminishing in contemporary politics.
He also paid tribute to Gowon, describing him as a statesman whose leadership and policies, including the establishment of the National Youth Service Corps, continue to contribute to national unity and development.
Shettima Reveals He Was Accused of Plotting Tinubu’s Assassination Through Gifted Campaign Outfits
