In a swift reaction to news making the rounds, the Presidency has firmly denied recent media reports suggesting that Vice President Kashim Shettima was denied access to the Presidential Villa, describing the claims as “mischievous” and “totally fabricated.”
In a statement on Saturday by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, the Presidency condemned the reports as part of a “deliberate and well-planned orchestration of falsehood” aimed at sowing discord within the top echelon of government.
“The latest in this string of disinformation is a report claiming that the Vice President has been refused entry to the Villa. For the record, nothing of the sort ever happened”, the statement read.
Nkwocha described the claims, reportedly originating from obscure blogs, as “a feeble attempt to traduce the person and office of His Excellency, Vice President Kashim Shettima.”
He characterised the story of armed military units blocking the Vice President’s access to the seat of power as “the wildest expression of wishful thinking” and “a clear indication that the purveyors of these tales have exhausted both ink and imagination.”
According to the statement, the Vice President continues to discharge his duties with diligence and remains focused on supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in realizing the aspirations of the Nigerian people.
“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,” it said.
This is not the first time the Presidency has responded to what it describes as “fake news.”
Earlier in the week, it similarly dismissed reports involving the circulation of campaign posters bearing the images of President Tinubu, labeling them as baseless and politically motivated.
Nkwocha emphasised that the unity and cooperation between the President and the Vice President remain strong, despite repeated attempts by what he called “mischief-makers” to drive a wedge between them.
“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. These fairy tales they publish serve no purpose beyond mischief and distraction,” he said.
He also praised Nigerians who have chosen to resist the spread of misinformation and who continue to stand behind the Tinubu-Shettima administration.
“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 statement added.
Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to constitutional governance and transparency, Nkwocha urged media practitioners to seek information from credible sources and to handle sensational claims with due caution.
“No amount of falsehood or manufactured tension can shake the foundation of the democratic mandate that brought this government to power. Not under the watch of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, he asserted.
