Shettima, who represented Bola Tinubu, the ruling party's presidential candidate, instantly became a social media sensation after one of his photos from the conference went viral.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) vice-presidential candidate, Senator Kashim Shettima, has spoken out about the controversy surrounding the attire he wore to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference on Monday in Lagos.
Shettima, who represented Bola Tinubu, the ruling party's presidential candidate, instantly became a social media sensation after one of his photos from the conference went viral.
The former governor of Borno State was accused of fashion faux pas by social media users, who pointed out numerous flaws in his attire.
SaharaReporters had also reported that many Nigerians condemned the absence of Tinubu from the 2022 Nigerian Bar Association conference, saying it may be connected to the controversy surrounding his health status.
There have been concerns over Tinubu’s health status following his recent medical trips overseas and surgeries, which were reported by SaharaReporters.
The criticism assumed a new level when several people, including celebrities like Charly Boy, criticised the politician with the hashtag #ShettimaChallenge, which featured several images of people mimicking the senator's comedic attire.
But speaking on the incident for the first time since the event, Shettima said he deliberately wore the sneakers.
Shettima alleged that a presidential candidate, whose identity he did not disclose, plotted mischief ahead of the event.
In a viral video, Shettima said, “I was in Lagos for the NBA conference. The conference held in Eko Hotels. It was largely funded by the Lagos State Government, the APC government of Lagos State. Subsequently, they moved to Eko Atlantic City, a product of an idea conceived by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“When I sent my recce team, it was learnt that one of the presidential candidates’ team held meetings for three consecutive nights to commit mischief. I was told it was a hostile crowd… I’m a banker, trained by one of the best bankers in the world. I’m a Jim Ovia boy. I deliberately wore sneakers to the NBA to swarm at them.”