The Nigerian Presidency has firmly rejected a widely circulated statement alleging that President Bola Tinubu turned down an invitation from the White House for a working visit, citing domestic priorities and aircraft limitations.
The claim, which has been spreading rapidly on social media, was labeled as “fake and malicious” by the Presidency on Sunday.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, took to his official X (formerly Twitter) account to debunk the misinformation. He described the viral statement as the product of “disinformation agents, hoax peddlers, fake news propagators, and clickbaiters.” Onanuga issued a stern warning to those responsible, saying, “Whoever you are, one day, the law will catch you,” while sharing the fabricated document marked with a “FAKE NEWS ALERT” stamp.
The forged document, falsely presented as a “State House Official Statement,” claimed that the Tinubu administration declined the White House’s invitation due to “critical domestic priorities” and “logistical constraints, including the unsustainability of presidential aircraft for long-distance travel.” The statement was also wrongly attributed to Onanuga himself, bearing his name and official title as the signatory.
Onanuga clarified that neither the Nigerian Presidency nor the White House had issued or acknowledged such communication. The fake release also included a misleading note that “the Nigerian government remains committed to fostering strong bilateral relations with the United States and looks forward to future opportunities for collaboration.”
