The Presidency has dismissed as false a viral report claiming that President Bola Tinubu plans to rename Nigeria and abolish Sharia law in the northern region, describing the story as fabricated and politically motivated.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the claims were part of a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and create political tension ahead of the next election cycle.
“The Presidency wishes to inform Nigerians and state clearly that there is no truth to the viral fake story claiming that President Bola Tinubu seeks to carry out constitutional amendments that will change Nigeria’s name to the United States of Nigeria and abolish Sharia Law in the Northern region, among other claims,” the statement read.
The Presidency alleged that the report was being circulated by political actors seeking to destabilise the country.
“The story, which cited anonymous sources, is part of the dubious plot by some desperate politicians to create disaffection in our country, stir up a political crisis, and heat the polity ahead of the general elections,” Onanuga said.
It urged Nigerians to disregard the report entirely, saying: “Nigerians should ignore the viral story in its entirety because the purveyors of the fake news are agents of destabilisation and merchants of disorder.”
On claims that a bill tagged Project True Federation would be transmitted to the National Assembly, the Presidency said no such plan exists.
According to the statement, “President Tinubu has no plan whatsoever to send any bill code-named Project True Federation to the National Assembly by December 15, a few weeks before the general election.”
It also stressed that constitutional amendments cannot be made arbitrarily, noting the legal hurdles involved in any such process.
“Under our laws, constitutional changes and amendments are serious business that require legislative scrutiny, oversight and serious debate. The process of amending the constitution is not at the President’s or the National Assembly’s whim. It is a task that requires a 2/3 majority in both chambers of the National Assembly and the concurrence of 24 State Houses of Assembly,” it stated.
According to the Presidency, the administration’s focus remains on governance and economic reforms rather than political distractions.
In Onanuga’s words: “President Tinubu is focused on the arduous task of entrenching and deepening the economic reforms his administration has embarked upon. He is focused on delivering more tangible dividends to Nigerians.”
The statement also cautioned Nigerians to “be wary of consuming fake and divisive reports, which will proliferate as the nation begins political campaigns, a prelude to the general elections in January 2027.”
