Kashim Shettima has revealed that shortly after the inauguration of the current administration, individuals allegedly attempted to create distrust between him and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by falsely accusing him of plotting to kill the president in order to assume power.
Speaking at the public presentation of “My Life of Duty and Allegiance”, the autobiography of former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, in Abuja, Shettima said the alleged incident occurred within the first three months of the administration.
He explained that some individuals from his home state of Borno reportedly approached President Tinubu with claims that he was planning to eliminate him. Shettima said the president personally called him over the allegation but later dismissed it after questioning its credibility.
According to the Vice President, President Tinubu reportedly joked during their conversation and treated the claim with caution rather than suspicion, noting inconsistencies in the narrative and the political realities that existed before the 2023 general elections.
Shettima added that Tinubu reasoned that it would have been unlikely for such an alleged plot to exist, given that both men had worked together politically to secure victory in the election and eventually emerged as President and Vice President.
He further disclosed that despite repeated attempts by the same individuals to push the allegation after the election, the President refused to accept the claims, maintaining trust in their working relationship.
Shettima also noted that President Tinubu continued to engage with him normally, rejecting any attempts to sow division within the presidency through rumours or political manipulation.
The Vice President used the platform to call for national unity, mutual trust and stronger cohesion within Nigeria’s leadership and across the country, warning against divisive politics that could undermine governance and stability.
