Presidency Refutes Claims of Armed Men Preventing VP Shettima’s Access to the Villa.
From Our Correspondent.
The Presidency has rejected reports suggesting that Vice President Kashim Shettima was recently denied entry into the Presidential Villa, calling the story “entirely fabricated” and “a baseless display of wishful thinking.”
In a statement issued on Saturday, April 19, Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), accused certain unnamed blogs of orchestrating a “deliberate and well-planned campaign of falsehood” aimed at creating confusion and implying disunity within the Presidency.
“The latest in this series of disinformation is a report claiming that the Vice President has been refused entry to the Villa. This is a feeble attempt to tarnish the reputation of His Excellency, Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON. For the record, NOTHING OF THE SORT EVER HAPPENED,” Nkwocha stated.
He dismissed the allegations regarding armed military barricades and restricted access as not only “baseless” but also “so far removed from reality that it can only be believed by those unfamiliar with the inner workings of the Nigerian government.”
“The recent publication by some obscure blogs alleging that armed military units have barricaded the Vice President from accessing the Presidential Villa is not just the wildest expression of wishful thinking but a clear indication that the creators of these tales have exhausted both ink and imagination. It is a story that is so disconnected from reality that it can only be entertained by those unfamiliar with the inner workings of the Nigerian government,” he added.
The statement also mentioned that earlier in the week, the Presidency discredited reports about campaign posters featuring images of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for the 2027 elections, labeling them as another desperate attempt to incite political tension.
“It is understandable, though regrettable, that mischief-makers continue to underestimate the strength of the bond and goodwill between the President and the Vice President,” Nkwocha said. “These fairy tales serve no purpose beyond mischief and distraction.”
Reaffirming the Vice President’s commitment to his responsibilities, the Presidency stated that Shettima remains focused on supporting President Tinubu in delivering the administration’s agenda and will not be drawn into what it described as a “media circus.”
