The presidency has dismissed as false and mischievous reports claiming that Vice President Kashim Shettima was denied access to the Presidential Villa by armed military personnel.
Stanley Nkwocha, the vice president’s spokesperson, described the reports as part of a growing campaign of disinformation aimed at sowing confusion within the presidency.
“In recent times, there has been deliberate and well-planned orchestration of falsehood against the vice president’s person and office in many multidimensional forms. These mischievous and totally fabricated reports are all in a bid to cause confusion and insinuate total clashes in the presidency. These reports seek to mislead the public into believing there’s discord at the highest levels of government,” said Nkwocha.
“The latest in this string of disinformation is a report claiming that the vice president has been refused entry to the villa. This is a feeble attempt to traduce the person and office of His Excellency, Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON. For the record, nothing of the sort ever happened.” Nkwocha described the story published by some blogs as “the wildest expression of wishful thinking”.
He added, “It is a story so far removed from reality that it can only be entertained by those unfamiliar with the inner workings of the Nigerian government.”
The alleged reports came after the presidency disowned campaign posters of President Bola Tinubu in parts of the country.
According to Nkwocha, the false narratives represent “a desperate attempt to undermine the President and his Deputy’s fidelity to the rule of law and our constitution”, adding, “Let it be known that those pushing these falsehoods do so in vain.”
The presidential aide stressed that the unity and cooperation between the president and his vice president remain unshaken.
“It is understandable, though regrettable, that the mischief-makers continue to underestimate the strength of the bond and goodwill between the president and the vice president. However, their questionable sources or habitual reliance on misinformation have once again led them astray. These fairy tales they publish serve no purpose beyond mischief and distraction,” he said.
Reaffirming Shettima’s focus and loyalty to Tinubu, Nkwocha said his principal “does not have the luxury of time for distractions, particularly those born of the imagination of individuals intent on creating smoke where there is no fire. He’s not and will never partake in their media circus. It is a futile pursuit, even by the standards of the morally indifferent.”
Nkwocha extended appreciation to citizens who have continued to stand against fake news and support the administration.
Quoting him, “We commend Nigerians across all divides who continue to express goodwill towards this administration and who have taken it upon themselves to fight the spread of fake news. Your trust and support are deeply appreciated. The covenant between this government and the citizens of Nigeria was made possible through a legitimate and constitutional process. No amount of falsehood or manufactured tension can shake the foundation of that democratic mandate. Not under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
“We encourage the public to disregard such malicious publications and the media to continue seeking information from credible sources and to approach sensational claims with the caution they deserve. This we owe ourselves collectively as a nation.”
