The Presidency has firmly refuted reports alleging that Vice President Kashim Shettima was recently denied access to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
In a statement released on Saturday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), the Presidency described the claims as “totally fabricated” and intended to create the false impression of a rift between President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Shettima.
The statement, titled ‘Re: Mischievous Report On Access To The Presidential Villa By Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON’, dismissed the circulating rumors.
“The latest in this string of disinformation is a report claiming that the Vice President has been refused entry to the Villa.
“This is a feeble attempt to traduce the person and office of His Excellency, Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON. For the record, nothing of the sort ever happened,” it read.
The false report, allegedly published by “obscure blogs” claimed that military personnel had blocked the entrance of the Villa, preventing Shettima’s access.
Nkwocha condemned the story, calling it “the wildest expression of wishful thinking” and accused its originators of attempting to sow discord within the current administration.
He added, “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.
“However, their questionable sources or habitual reliance on misinformation have once again led them astray. These fairy tales they publish serve no purpose beyond mischief and distraction.”
He also referenced a similar rumor earlier in the week about campaign posters of President Tinubu, which the Presidency had equally debunked.
Nkwocha assured Nigerians that Vice President Shettima remains committed to his responsibilities and will not be derailed by “the imagination of individuals intent on creating smoke where there is no fire.”
He called on the public to disregard such false reports and urged journalists to confirm their stories with reliable sources, emphasizing that “no amount of falsehood would undermine the democratic mandate of the Tinubu administration.”
