ABUJA, NIGERIA — In a remarkably candid disclosure that sheds new light on the intense undercurrents of presidential politics in Nigeria, Vice President Kashim Shettima has opened up regarding an early, calculated attempt by certain political actors to create a catastrophic rift between himself and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Speaking before an audience of senior statesmen, security chiefs, and diplomatic representatives on Monday, May 18, 2026, the Vice President detailed how these individuals attempted to systematically undermine his loyalty to the president barely three months after the administration officially assumed executive power.
The Vice President chose a highly symbolic venue to make the revelations, addressing attendees at a high-level state event organized to honor the legacy and contributions of Nigeria's former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon. Reflecting on the theme of national cohesion, institutional stability, and the historic challenges of leadership, Shettima used his platform to caution public servants against the destructive nature of court politics, illustrating his point with a startling personal encounter from the opening quarter of his tenure.
According to the Vice President, the individuals behind the disruptive plot, whom he deliberately refused to identify by name but explicitly confirmed were prominent indigenes of his home state of Borno, approached President Tinubu with a series of highly inflammatory fabrications. The group allegedly went as far as to tell the President that his second-in-command was actively conspiring to orchestrate his assassination in a desperate and treasonous bid to seize control of the federal government.
The bizarre conspiracy theory, Shettima explained, centered around a specific gift of traditional clothing that he had presented to Bola Tinubu long before the two leaders had even secured the joint ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress. The detractors reportedly claimed that the garments had been spiritually compromised or embedded with lethal, supernatural elements designed to cause physical harm to the commander-in-chief once worn.
The president said their story did not add up, Vice President Shettima told the stunned audience, recounting how President Tinubu immediately saw through the narrative and dismissed the allegations with characteristic political savvy. He said when you gave me those clothes, I was a mere aspirant. I would not have been the candidate, neither were you going to be the Vice presidential candidate at that particular point in time.
Shettima further elucidated the lengths to which his detractors went in their attempt to manufacture a deep constitutional crisis between the nation's top two executives. Some people told him directly after the conclusion of the general election that I was planning to use those specific clothes to kill him and take over the presidency, Shettima said. However, Tinubu wore the clothes after that because he is a deeply rational leader who is not fetish, and he completely refused to be swayed by such baseline manipulation.
The relationship between Nigerian Presidents and their Vice Presidents has historically been a volatile terrain, frequently plagued by mutual suspicion, media proxies, and institutional friction manufactured by ambitious aides. By choosing to speak publicly about the failed attempt to sow division, Shettima intended to signal that the current presidency remains entirely unified, impervious to the classic palace intrigues that have destabilized past administrations.
The Vice President expressed immense gratitude for President Tinubu’s analytical mindset and refusal to entertain unsubstantiated rumors, noting that an emotionally reactive leader could have easily allowed the false intelligence to fracture the executive arm of government at a time when the administration was focused on stabilizing the national economy.
Turning his attention toward the broader socio-political state of the nation, Shettima utilized the remainder of his keynote address to issue a passionate appeal to the Nigerian populace and the political class. He urged citizens to actively resist the temptation of ethnic, regional, and religious profiling, arguing that the country's progress is continuously hindered by individuals who view national politics through the narrow lens of division and self-preservation.
The Vice President strongly advised Nigerians to strive to be better united and to consistently act as their brother’s keeper, rather than functioning as merchants of divisions who profit off societal discord. He noted that the challenges facing the Federal Republic of Nigeria require a collective, single-minded focus on development, security, and economic empowerment, which cannot be achieved if leaders are constantly forced to look over their shoulders due to state-sponsored paranoia.
Political analysts monitoring the administration's trajectory suggest that Shettima's public remarks serve a dual purpose. Beyond reinforcing his unwavering personal loyalty to President Tinubu, the speech acts as a direct warning to regional political brokers—particularly within the northeastern corridor—that the presidency is fully aware of back-channel maneuvers to weaken its internal cohesion.
By detailing the failure of the plotters, the Vice President effectively discredited future attempts to manufacture executive discord, setting a firm precedent for transparency and direct communication within the highest echelons of the federal government as the administration approaches the midpoint of its constitutional mandate.
