The Presidency has firmly denied reports circulating online that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sacked the Ministers of Power and Defence, describing the claims as entirely baseless and misleading.
Reacting to the viral story published by a platform identified as Phoenix Browser, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, condemned the report as false and irresponsible.
“At no time did President Tinubu relieve the Ministers of Defence or Power of their duties. The story is completely fabricated and lacks any factual foundation,” Onanuga said, stressing that the administration views the dissemination of such unverified news as a serious threat to public trust and national stability.
He reiterated that the last cabinet reshuffle, which took place in October 2024, only affected five ministers: those overseeing Women Affairs, Tourism, Education, State for Housing and Urban Development, and Youth Development. Additionally, ten ministers were reassigned, and seven new nominees were submitted to the Senate for confirmation all of which were communicated transparently through official channels.
Onanuga warned against the rise of fake news websites and urged security agencies to intensify efforts to investigate and clamp down on such platforms.
“Freedom of speech does not give anyone the license to fabricate and circulate misinformation. The Phoenix Browser report is reckless and an abuse of press freedom,” he noted. He went further to describe such practices as “news licentiousness” that must be curbed through legal measures.
The Presidential spokesman urged citizens to rely solely on credible news sources and authorized government platforms for accurate updates, especially on matters of national significance.
