The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has dismissed reports claiming the President is scheduled to visit the United States on Tuesday to meet with US Vice President J.D. Vance.
In a post on his official X handle 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 US on Tuesday to see US Vice President J.D. Vance. That story is not true,” Ajayi wrote. “The fake news by Sahara has become the basis for some uninformed commentaries. If President Tinubu is going to the White House, he won’t be going to see a Vice President.”
The clarification comes amid reports suggesting Tinubu would travel to Washington for “top-level diplomatic engagements,” following heightened global attention on alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria and a recent statement by Trump threatening possible military action.
On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth that the United States might “go in guns blazing” if Nigeria failed to stop the alleged killings of Christians. He said, “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities… If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians.”
Over the weekend, President Tinubu denied any claims of a “Christian genocide,” reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom and equality for all citizens.
In a statement on X, Tinubu emphasised that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and his administration continues to engage leaders across faiths to promote peace and tackle insecurity.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu said. “Since 2023, our administration has maintained 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 narratives portraying Nigeria as religiously intolerant, calling them inaccurate and unreflective of the nation’s diversity and commitment to peaceful coexistence.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it consider the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion for all Nigerians,” he said.
Reiterating that religious tolerance is a core element of Nigeria’s identity, Tinubu added: “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 further pledged continued collaboration with the United States and other international partners to strengthen 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 US government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on the protection of communities of all faiths,” Tinubu affirmed.
