By Our Reporter
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has revealed that some individuals allegedly attempted to pitch him against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu shortly after the inauguration of the current administration.
Shettima disclosed this on Tuesday during the launch of My Life of Duty and Allegiance, the autobiography of former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, in Abuja.
According to the Vice-President, unnamed individuals from his home state of Borno allegedly approached Tinubu three months after they assumed office, claiming that he was plotting to assassinate the President and take over power.
“Three months into our swearing-in, some people told Tinubu I was planning to kill him to take over power,” Shettima said.
He explained that the allegation was linked to traditional clothes he had gifted Tinubu during the 2023 election campaign.
“The President had called me and said, ‘Sit down! Your people came to me and said stop wearing those Shettima’s clothes,’” he recounted.
According to Shettima, Tinubu dismissed the allegation, noting that the claim did not make sense because the clothes were given before the emergence of both men as presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
“But the President said their story did not add up. He said when you gave me those clothes, I was an aspirant. I would not have been the candidate, neither were you going to be Vice presidential candidate,” Shettima stated.
He further quoted Tinubu as rejecting claims that the clothes were intended for ritual purposes.
“Some people told him after election that I was planning to use the clothes to kill him and take over. However, Tinubu wore the clothes after that because he is not fetish,” he added.
The Vice-President used the occasion to urge Nigerians to embrace unity and avoid actions capable of creating divisions in the country.
Shettima called on citizens to act as their brothers’ keepers rather than “merchants of division.”
