The Presidency has dismissed reports that Vice President Kashim Shettima, was denied access to the Presidential Villa.
Presidency, in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima’s spokesperson, on Saturday described the reports as an attempt to sow discord within the top echelons of government.
The Presidency report was labelled “the wildest expression of wishful thinking” and a “clear indication that the purveyors of these tales have exhausted both ink and imagination.”
The Presidency emphasised that there was no truth whatsoever to the claim that armed military personnel barricaded the Shettima from entering the Villa.
It further noted that the story was entirely detached from the reality of governance and the working relationship between President Bola Tinubu and Shettima.
“This is a feeble attempt to traduce the person and office of His Excellency, Vice President Kashim Shettima. Nothing of the sort ever happened.”
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The Presidency noted that the publication emerged from obscure blogs and forms part of a broader trend of misinformation designed to mislead the public and portray a rift within the Presidency.
Earlier this week, a similar incident occurred when the government dismissed fake news linking the President to the circulation of fresh campaign posters.
Both instances, the Presidency noted, represent desperate efforts to undermine the administration’s legitimacy and the unity between the President and his deputy.
“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.”
Furthermore, the Presidency commended Nigerians who continue to support the administration and actively counter the spread of fake news, urging media outlets to verify information from credible sources and treat sensational claims with appropriate caution.
The Presidency reiterated that the mandate of the Tinubu-Shettima administration stands firm on a democratic foundation, and no amount of falsehood or manufactured tension can undermine it.
