The Presidency yesterday refuted media reports suggesting that Vice President Kashim Shettima was recently denied access to the Presidential Villa, describing the claim as “totally fabricated” and “a wild expression of wishful thinking.”
In a statement by the senior special assistant to the president on media and communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, the Presidency accused certain unnamed blogs of orchestrating a “deliberate and well-planned campaign of falsehood” targeted at sowing confusion and suggesting disunity within the Presidency.
“The latest in this string of disinformation is a report claiming that the vice president has been refused entry to the Villa. For the records, nothing of the sort ever happened,” the statement said.
Nkwocha dismissed the allegation of armed military barricades and restricted access to the vice president as not only baseless but also so far removed from reality that it could only be entertained by those unfamiliar with the inner workings of the Nigerian government.
The statement further noted that earlier in the week, the Presidency had similarly discredited reports about campaign posters bearing the images of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for the 2027 elections, labelling the reports as another desperate attempt to stoke political tension.
“It is understandable, though regrettable, that the mischief-makers continue to underestimate the strength of the bond and goodwill between the president and vice president,” Nkwocha said, adding, “These fairy tales serve no purpose beyond mischief and distraction.”
Reaffirming the vice president’s commitment to his duties, the Presidency said Shettima remained focused on supporting President Tinubu to deliver on the administration’s agenda, and would not be drawn into what it called a “media circus.”
“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,” the statement emphasised.
The Presidency also urged the media to verify reports from credible sources and called on Nigerians to disregard malicious claims aimed at misleading the public and stirring political discord.
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