The presidency has dismissed as false a viral social media report claiming that President Bola Tinubu has replaced his Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, with the Principal Private Secretary to the President, Hakeem Muri-Okunola. In a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the presidency said there was “absolutely no truth” in the report, urging Nigerians to disregard it entirely.
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff,” the statement read. According to the presidency, the claim is a fabrication by “mischievous purveyors of fake news” whose intention is to create disharmony within the government. Onanuga also cautioned the public and media organisations against spreading unverified information, stressing the need for responsible reporting, especially on sensitive issues of governance. “We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” he added.
