Borno Governor Controversy: Shettima Reveals Former President Jonathan’s Ouster Plan

Vice President Kashim Shettima has revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan once sought to remove him from office during his tenure as Governor of Borno State. Shettima made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja at the public presentation of a memoir by former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN).

Shettima, who governed Borno State from 2011 to 2019, described himself as the “most demonised” public official under Jonathan’s administration. He said, “In the last four years of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s government, I was the public enemy number one.”

The Vice President recounted that a secret plan was hatched at the highest levels of government to remove him amid the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. He explained that key decisions were often made in a “rare peace circle” involving the President, Vice President, Senate President, and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

During one such meeting, Jonathan reportedly considered ousting Shettima, but the plan was halted through the intervention of Mohammed Bello Adoke and former House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal. Shettima recalled that Tambuwal courageously reminded the President of constitutional limits, stating: “Your Excellency, you don’t have the powers to remove an elected councillor.”

Undeterred, Jonathan allegedly escalated the matter to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), where Adoke firmly emphasized that the President lacked authority to remove a sitting governor or councillor. Another SAN, Kabiru Turaki, agreed with Adoke, effectively settling the dispute.

Shettima said the episode forged a lifelong bond between him, Adoke, and Tambuwal, praising them for their courage and commitment to democratic principles.

The revelation sheds light on a previously unknown political tension during Jonathan’s administration and highlights the importance of constitutional checks in Nigeria’s governance system.