Presidency Denies Report of Tinubu’s Planned US Visit
The senior special assistant to President Bola Tinubu on media and publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has dismissed claims that the president is scheduled to visit the United States on Tuesday for a meeting with US vice president J.D. Vance.
In a post on his official X account on Monday, Ajayi described the report as false and misleading, saying it had sparked unnecessary speculation and “uninformed commentaries.” He clarified that if President Tinubu were to visit the White House, he would meet with President Donald Trump, not the vice president.
“There’s a Sahara Reporters story that President Tinubu is going to the U.S. on Tuesday to see US vice president J.D. Vance. That story is not true. I can see that the fake news by Sahara has become the basis for some uninformed commentaries since yesterday. If President Tinubu is going to the White House, he won’t be going to see a vice president,” Ajayi wrote.
The clarification follows reports suggesting that Tinubu was planning to travel to Washington for “top-level diplomatic engagements,” amid international attention on the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria and a recent statement by Trump warning of potential military action.
On Saturday, Trump posted on his Truth account that the United States might “go in guns blazing” if Nigeria did not act to stop the alleged killings of Christians. He warned that US aid could be halted and threatened possible military action against perpetrators of the attacks.
In response, President Tinubu over the weekend denied claims of a “Christian genocide,” emphasizing that Nigeria remains a democracy committed to religious freedom and equality for all citizens.
In an official statement on his X handle, Tinubu stressed that the Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of religion and that his administration continues to engage leaders of all faiths to promote peace and address insecurity.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” he said. “Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges affecting citizens across faiths and regions.”
He dismissed external portrayals of Nigeria as religiously intolerant, calling them inaccurate and not reflective of the nation’s diversity or commitment to peaceful coexistence.
“The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into account the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and belief for all Nigerians,” Tinubu stated.
Reaffirming that religious tolerance is central to Nigeria’s identity, the president said, “Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.”
He also pledged continued collaboration with the United States and other international partners to promote understanding and protect communities of all faiths.
“Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths. Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on the protection of communities of all faiths,” Tinubu affirmed.
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