Vice President Kashim Shettima has disclosed that some individuals allegedly tried to sow distrust between him and President Bola Tinubu shortly after they assumed office in 2023, claiming that traditional outfits he gifted the president during the election campaign were spiritually manipulated.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday during the public presentation of the autobiography of former military ruler Yakubu Gowon, Shettima said the incident happened about three months after their inauguration.
According to the vice-president, he had provided northern-style garments and caps for Tinubu during the APC presidential campaign so the then-candidate could better connect with voters across the region.
Shettima said the clothes became popular among Tinubu’s aides after the president wore them during campaign outings.
He recalled that after they took office, some people from Borno allegedly visited Tinubu and warned him to stop wearing the outfits, claiming they had been “charmed” and could endanger his life.
The vice-president said Tinubu later informed him about the allegation after his return from an official trip to China.
According to Shettima, the president dismissed the claims, noting that the garments were given to him before he became president and while he was still an aspirant.
“To prove to them that he is not fetish, he wore those garments for one week,” Shettima said, describing the episode as one of the political “gimmicks” common within Nigerian power circles.
The vice president contrasted the situation with what he described as a period of greater trust during Gowon’s administration, recalling how the family of the Sultan of Sokoto regularly sent food items to Dodan Barracks without suspicion.
Praising Gowon, Shettima described the former leader as a unifying figure whose leadership transcended ethnic and religious divisions.
He also commended Gowon’s contribution to regional integration in Africa, particularly his role in the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Shettima said West Africa still requires stronger regional cooperation to tackle insecurity, expand economic opportunities, and prevent conflicts across borders.
