The Presidency has dismissed as entirely false and malicious a statement circulating on social media claiming that President Bola Tinubu turned down a White House invitation for a working visit due to domestic priorities and aircraft limitations.
In a swift rebuttal issued on Sunday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, described the viral statement as the work of “disinformation agents, hoax peddlers, fake news propagators, and clickbaiters.”
“Whoever you are, one day, the law will catch you,” Onanuga wrote on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, where he posted the image in question stamped with a bold “FAKE NEWS ALERT.”
The forged statement, circulated as an official release from the State House, falsely claimed that the Nigerian government declined the U.S. invitation citing “critical domestic priorities” and “logistical constraints, including the unsustainability of presidential aircraft for long-distance travel.”
The document was fraudulently signed in Onanuga’s name and listed his official designation, giving the appearance of authenticity.
However, Onanuga firmly denied any association with the document, clarifying that neither the White House nor the Nigerian Presidency had issued such a communication.
“There is no such statement from the Presidency. The White House has not extended any formal invitation that was turned down, and no such excuse regarding aircraft constraints was ever considered or communicated,” he noted.
The fake release also attempted to sound diplomatic by claiming that “the Nigerian government remains committed to fostering strong bilateral relations with the United States,” a phrase Onanuga described as part of the deception to give the falsehood a veneer of credibility.
The Presidency has urged Nigerians and media platforms to verify information from official channels before sharing or reporting, warning that legal consequences may follow for those behind the forgery.
As of the time of filing this report, no official White House statement had referenced any working visit invitation to President Tinubu.
