Nigeria’s Presidency has debunked reports alleging that Vice President Kashim Shettima was denied entry into the Presidential Villa, describing the claims as “mischievous” and “a wild expression of wishful thinking.”
In a statement issued Saturday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), the Presidency said the report was “a feeble attempt to traduce the person and office” of the Vice President.
“Nothing of the sort ever happened,” Nkwocha said. “These mischievous and fabricated reports are all in a bid to cause confusion and insinuate a total clash in the Presidency.”
The statement comes amid circulating reports on fringe blogs that military units had barricaded the Vice President from accessing the Villa. The Presidency dismissed the claim as fiction.
“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,” Nkwocha said, adding that “the purveyors of these tales have exhausted both ink and imagination.”
Nkwocha noted that earlier in the week, the Presidency also dismissed fake news about campaign posters purportedly featuring President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“These stories reflect a desperate attempt to undermine the President and his Deputy’s fidelity to the rule of law and our constitution,” he said.
He emphasized that there is no rift between President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, noting that attempts to sow discord would fail.
“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,” Nkwocha said.
He further stated that Vice President Shettima “remains focused on his duties and on supporting the President in achieving the aspirations of Nigerians,” adding that he “does not have the luxury of time for distractions… born of the imagination of individuals intent on creating smoke where there is no fire.”
Nkwocha commended Nigerians who continue to support the administration and urged the public to “disregard such malicious publications.”
“We encourage the media to continue seeking information from credible sources and to approach sensational claims with the caution they deserve,” the statement concluded.
Editor: Gabriel Ani
