By Ghazali Ibrahim 
The Presidency has dismissed as false and misleading, reports suggesting that Vice President Kashim Shettima was denied access to the Presidential Villa, describing the claims as “totally fabricated.”
In a statement issued on Saturday, Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), said the viral report was a deliberate attempt to create a false impression of a rift between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his deputy.
The statement, titled ‘Re: Mischievous Report On Access To The Presidential Villa By Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON’, emphasized that “nothing of the sort ever happened.”
“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,” Nkwocha said.
The alleged incident was first reported by unnamed and “obscure blogs,” claiming that military personnel had barricaded the Villa’s entrance to stop Shettima from gaining access. Nkwocha, however, described the allegation as “the wildest expression of wishful thinking.”
He further accused those behind the rumour of trying to sow discord within the government, stating, “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.”
Nkwocha also pointed to a similar false narrative earlier in the week, which claimed campaign posters featuring President Tinubu had surfaced, suggesting political tension. That claim, too, was promptly debunked by the Presidency.
Reaffirming the Vice President’s commitment to his duties, Nkwocha said Shettima remained focused and undistracted by what he described as “the imagination of individuals intent on creating smoke where there is no fire.”
He urged the public to disregard the report and encouraged journalists to verify information from credible sources.
“No amount of falsehood would undermine the democratic mandate of the Tinubu administration,” the statement concluded.
