People told Tinubu I planned to kill him – Shettima 

Vice President Kashim Shettima has revealed how some individuals allegedly attempted to create distrust between him and President Bola Tinubu barely three months after they assumed office.

Speaking on Tuesday at the launch of “My Life of Duty and Allegiance,” the autobiography of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, Shettima said unnamed persons from Borno State told Tinubu that he was allegedly plotting to kill the president and take over power.

“Three months into our swearing-in, some people told Tinubu that I was planning to ‘kill’ him and take over power,” Shettima said.

Shettima spoke amidst raging controversy on whether Tinubu would retain him as running mate for the 2027 poll or pick another politician.

Some analysts have cited Tinubu’s record as Lagos governor, saying he had three deputies at different times within the eight years of his administration.

However, the president is yet to respond regarding his running mate for the 2027 poll.

BusinessDay reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary is slated for May 23, 2026.

Shettima said President Tinubu confronted him over the allegation and referenced a set of traditional clothes Shettima had gifted him before the 2023 elections.

“The President called me and said, ‘Sit down. Your people came to me and said I should stop wearing those Shettima clothes,” he recounted.

Shettima said Tinubu dismissed the allegation after questioning the logic behind it.

“He said their story did not add up because when I gave him the clothes, I was only an aspirant. He was not yet the presidential candidate and I was not even going to be the vice-presidential candidate,” he said.

The Vice President added that the accusers alleged he intended to use the clothes to harm Tinubu and ultimately take over power.

“Some people told him after the election that I was planning to use the clothes to kill him and take over. But the President still wore the clothes afterwards because he is not fetish,” Shettima stated.

He urged Nigerians to promote unity and mutual trust rather than sow seeds of division and suspicion among leaders and citizens.