The Presidency has strongly refuted reports circulating on social media and some obscure blogs alleging that Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, was denied access to the Presidential Villa by armed security personnel.
In a press statement issued on Saturday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), the claims were described as “totally fabricated” and “a feeble attempt to traduce the person and office of the Vice President.”
“There has been a deliberate and well-orchestrated spread of falsehood aimed at creating confusion and suggesting a non-existent clash within the Presidency,” the statement read. “Let it be clearly stated: nothing of the sort ever happened.”
The Presidency dismissed the report as “the wildest expression of wishful thinking” and an example of how misinformation is being weaponized to mislead the public. It added that the story is “so far removed from reality that it can only be entertained by those unfamiliar with the inner workings of the Nigerian government.”
This is the latest in a string of what the Presidency called “desperate attempts” to sow division and undermine the strong working relationship between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and Vice President Shettima.
Earlier in the week, the government had similarly debunked another claim regarding campaign posters bearing President Tinubu’s image, which were said to have been circulated without authorization.
“The Vice President remains committed to his duties and to supporting the President in delivering on the mandate given to them by Nigerians,” the statement continued. “He has no time for distractions, especially those born of fiction and mischief.”
The Presidency also thanked Nigerians who have continued to show faith in the administration and urged the public and media to rely on credible sources for information and treat sensational claims with appropriate skepticism.
“No amount of manufactured tension can shake the foundation of this administration’s democratic mandate,” the statement concluded.
*STATE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENT*
*RE: MISCHIEVOUS REPORT ON ACCESS TO THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA BY VICE PRESIDENT KASHIM SHETTIMA, GCON*
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 clash in the Presidency. These reports seek to mislead the public into believing there’s discord at the highest levels of government.
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.
The recent publication by some obscure blogs alleging that armed military units have barricaded the Vice President from accessing the Presidential Villa is not only the wildest expression of wishful thinking but a clear indication that the purveyors of these tales have exhausted both ink and imagination. 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.
Earlier this week, the Presidency dismissed similar fake news regarding responsibility for the circulation of campaign posters bearing the images of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. These stories reflect a desperate attempt to undermine the President and his Deputy’s fidelity to the rule of law and our constitution. Let it be known that those pushing these falsehoods do so in vain.
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.
The Vice President remains focused on his duties and on supporting the President in achieving the aspirations of Nigerians. He 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.
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.
*Stanley Nkwocha*
*Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications*
*(Office of The Vice President)*
*19th April, 2025*
