The Presidency on Sunday categorically refuted a viral statement falsely claiming that President Bola Tinubu turned down a working visit invitation from the White House due to domestic priorities and logistical challenges with presidential aircraft.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, described the widely circulated document as fake, malicious, and the work of disinformation agents and clickbaiters. He addressed the issue via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, labeling the statement a forgery and sharing an image of it stamped with a bold “FAKE NEWS ALERT” warning.

“Whoever you are, one day, the law will catch you,” Onanuga wrote in a firm rebuttal, making it clear that the statement did not originate from him or any official channel of the Presidency.

The fraudulent release, which masqueraded as an official State House communication, falsely claimed that the Tinubu administration had declined an invitation from the White House for a working visit to Washington, D.C. It cited “critical domestic priorities” and “logistical constraints, including the unsustainability of the presidential aircraft for long-distance travel” as reasons for the alleged rejection.

To lend false credibility, the fake statement was attributed to Onanuga himself and carried his name and title as signatory.

In his response, Onanuga emphasized that neither the Nigerian government nor the White House issued or acknowledged such a communication, urging the public to disregard the misinformation.

He reiterated the Presidency’s ongoing commitment to strengthening diplomatic relations with the United States and other global partners, and warned that those behind the forgery would face the full weight of the law.