The Presidency has firmly denied media reports suggesting that President Bola Tinubu intends to pursue constitutional amendments to rename Nigeria as the "United States of Nigeria" and abolish Sharia Law in the northern region. In a statement released on Thursday, May 21, presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga dismissed the allegations as baseless and politically driven.
Presidency Dismisses Reports as Fake
Onanuga described the report as entirely fabricated and motivated by political interests. He accused unnamed politicians of spreading the false information to create tension and destabilize the country ahead of the upcoming general elections. According to him, the story relied on anonymous sources and was part of a deliberate scheme to incite political unrest, generate public dissatisfaction, and overheat the political atmosphere as the elections approach.
Call for Public Disregard
The presidential aide urged Nigerians to completely ignore the report, labeling those behind it as agents of destabilization and promoters of disorder. He emphasized that President Tinubu has no plans to transmit any bill code-named "Project True Federation" to the National Assembly by December 15, just before the general elections, as falsely claimed in the report.
Constitutional Amendment Process Highlighted
Onanuga stressed that amending the Nigerian constitution is a rigorous legal and legislative process that cannot be arbitrarily executed by the President or the National Assembly. He explained that any constitutional amendment requires extensive scrutiny, debate, and approval by at least two-thirds of members from both chambers of the National Assembly, as well as endorsement by no fewer than 24 State Houses of Assembly. This underscores the complexity and democratic nature of such changes.
President Tinubu's Focus
According to Onanuga, President Tinubu remains fully committed to implementing and consolidating the economic reforms introduced by his administration. The President's primary goal is to deliver tangible benefits to Nigerians, and he is not distracted by unfounded rumors or political maneuvers aimed at disrupting the nation's stability.
