Vice President Kashim Shettima has strongly refuted viral reports suggesting he was denied access to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, describing the claims as entirely false and intentionally misleading.
In a statement released on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima dismissed the reports as the product of deliberate misinformation aimed at sowing discord between him and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Nkwocha labeled the allegations as a “mischievous fabrication,” noting that they are part of a broader, orchestrated effort to stir confusion and suggest a non-existent power struggle within the Presidency.
“The notion that the Vice President was prevented from entering the Villa by armed military personnel is not only absurd but also a glaring manifestation of wishful thinking,” Nkwocha stated. “It reflects a complete detachment from reality and an exhaustion of both reason and creativity by those propagating these falsehoods.”
The statement emphasized that nothing of the sort ever happened and criticized obscure blogs and sources behind the reports, suggesting they are bent on misleading the public by promoting sensational narratives with no basis in fact.
According to Nkwocha, “In recent times, we’ve witnessed a surge in fabricated stories targeting the person and office of Vice President Shettima. These attempts at character assassination serve no purpose beyond mischief. They are intended to fabricate a wedge where none exists and create an illusion of tension between the President and his deputy.”
The Presidency had earlier in the week dismissed similar misinformation regarding the appearance of campaign posters allegedly pitting Tinubu against his vice. Such false reports, Shettima’s office noted, aim to cast doubt on the unity and cooperation between the two leaders.
Nkwocha affirmed that the bond between President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima remains strong and unshaken, and that those pushing divisive narratives are wasting their time.
“The Vice President remains committed to his responsibilities and continues to work in synergy with President Tinubu to fulfill the promises made to Nigerians. He is focused on governance and has no interest in participating in baseless distractions,” the statement read.
Shettima’s office also commended Nigerians who have consistently shown support for the administration and have taken it upon themselves to counter the spread of fake news.
“We urge the media and the public to treat sensational claims with the skepticism they deserve and to rely only on verified sources of information. Nigeria’s progress is too important to be derailed by fabrications and politically motivated propaganda,” Nkwocha concluded.
