By Uzair Adam
The Presidency has refuted claims that Vice President Kashim Shettima was recently denied access to the Presidential Villa, describing the report as completely false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice-President), Mr. Stanley Nkwocha, condemned the report as “a deliberate and well-planned orchestration of falsehood.”
Nkwocha noted that the story was far removed from reality and could only gain traction among individuals unfamiliar with the operations of the Nigerian government.
He urged the public to disregard the misleading publication and called on the media to rely on credible sources while treating sensational claims with caution.
He decried what he described as a growing pattern of misinformation targeted at the Vice President and his office, all in an attempt to sow discord within the Presidency.
“The most recent of these fabricated stories claims that the Vice President was refused entry into the Villa by armed military units — a wild tale that reflects a combination of wishful thinking and misinformation,” Nkwocha stated.
He noted that nothing of such nature ever occurred and described the publication by obscure blogs as a desperate move to mislead the public and tarnish the image of both the President and the Vice President.
Nkwocha recalled that the Presidency had earlier this week also debunked another false report related to campaign posters of President Bola Tinubu, noting that such stories aim to cast doubt on the unity and legitimacy of the current administration.
He reaffirmed that Vice President Shettima remains focused on his duties and on supporting President Tinubu to fulfill the aspirations of Nigerians.
“Shettima does not have the luxury of time to entertain distractions born out of fiction and mischief,” he said.
Nkwocha praised Nigerians who continue to support the administration and are committed to combating the spread of fake news, reaffirming that no amount of misinformation can shake the democratic foundation upon which the current government stands.