Presidency Debunks Claims Tinubu Rejected White House Invitation
Onanuga Labels Viral Statement as Fake and Malicious
The Nigerian Presidency on Sunday firmly denied a viral statement claiming that President Bola Tinubu turned down a working visit invitation from the White House due to domestic priorities and aircraft limitations.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, dismissed the circulating statement as a fabrication by “disinformation agents, hoax peddlers, fake news propagators, and clickbaiters.”
Fake Statement Falsely Attributed to Onanuga
The document in question was doctored to appear like an official “State House Official Statement,” falsely attributing the remarks to Onanuga and bearing his name and title.
According to the fake release, Tinubu allegedly declined a White House invitation citing “critical domestic priorities” and “logistical constraints, including the unsustainability of presidential aircraft for long-distance travel.”
However, Onanuga took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) page to disown the statement and clarify that neither the Nigerian Presidency nor the White House issued such communication.
Onanuga Issues Strong Warning to Disinformation Peddlers
Sharing the fake image with a “FAKE NEWS ALERT” overlay, Onanuga issued a stern warning: “Whoever you are, one day, the law will catch you.”
He reiterated that the claim was not only baseless but also damaging to diplomatic narratives between Nigeria and the United States.
Presidency Reaffirms U.S.-Nigeria Relations
The forged statement had attempted to mimic diplomatic language, stating, “the Nigerian government remains committed to fostering strong bilateral relations with the United States and looks forward to future opportunities for collaboration.”
While this sentiment may align with the administration’s official stance, the Presidency emphasized that no such statement was issued and urged the public to verify information from trusted channels.
