The All Progressives Congress Vice Presidential candidate, Kashim Shettima, has explained why he wore sneakers to the 62nd Nigerian Bar Association conference.
In a video, posted on Twitter Friday morning, Shettima said he chose sneakers to “snub the hostile audience” at the conference.
In a video posted on Twitter, Mr Shettima said he sent a team, who briefed him that the crowd at the conference was hostile.
Mr Shettima, a former governor of Borno State, became the subject of internet jokes after the photograph of him wearing gym shoes on his loose-fitted suit hit the Nigerian Twittersphere.
Shettima’s sneakers and loose-fitted suit inspired a challenge on social media with the #Shettimachallenge as Nigerians, including the Minister of State, Labour & Employment, Festus Keyamo(SAN) jumped on the challenge.
Shettima represented his principal, the APC presidential flag bearer, Bola Tinubu, at the event held on Monday.
He said he used his experience as a former banker to distract the audience with his choice of sneakers as he claimed that one of the presidential candidates(name undisclosed) sponsored agents to create mischief.
“When I sent my recon team, one of the presidential candidates, he funded his agents, they held a meeting for three nights consequently, to plan mischief.
“When I was told that it was a hostile crowd – I am a banker, trained by one of the best bankers in the world. I am a Jim Ovia boy – I deliberately wore sneakers to snub at them,” he said.
Shettima also claimed that the NBA conference was largely funded by the Lagos State Government.
“The conference was held at the Eko Hotel, which was largely funded by the Lagos State Government. Subsequently, they moved to Atlantic City, a product of an idea by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,” he said.