Tinubu disowns Onanuga on address at NASS, says no one authorized him to issue the statement

 

 

Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has described as false the statement by Bayo Onanuga that Tinubu would be addressing a joint sitting of the National Assembly. 

 

Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the president on Strategic Communication issued a widely circulated statement that Tinubu would be live at the National Assembly on Wednesday May 29 to deliver a speech on  his achievements as part of his one year anniversary celebration 

 

According to the statement, former head of state Abdulsalami Abubakar and former Senate President, David Mark have been lined up to also deliver speeches on the occasion of Tinubu’s first year anniversary. 

 

Hours after Onanuga statement, Ngelale who functions in similar capacity as Onanuga, issued a disclaimer which tagged Onanuga’s statement as false. 

 

Ngelale said in his statement: “In view of public commentary concerning the President delivering a speech before a Joint Sitting of the National Assembly tomorrow, May 29, 2024, it is important to state that this information is false and unauthorized as the Office of the President was not involved in the planning of the event.”

 

At the time of filing this report, Onanuga has not pulled down the discredited statement from his Twitter handle. 

 

Here is the statement from Onanuga 

 

STATE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENT 

 

PRESIDENT TINUBU TO ADDRESS JOINT SITTING OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TOMORROW 

 

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not make  a  broadcast to the nation on Wednesday to celebrate his first anniversary as the leader of Nigeria.

 

Instead, the President will address a joint session of the National Assembly, which has lined up a programme to commemorate 25 years of the nation’s democratic journey at both the executive and legislative levels. 

 

President Tinubu’s speech  will dwell on the achievements of his administration and Nigeria’s democracy since the military ceded power in 1999.

 

Former Senate President, Senator David Mark, former speaker of the House of Representatives and now President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila are all lined up to address the parliament. 

 

Also lined up to speak is the former military ruler, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who handed over power to civilian administration in 1999.

 

At the end of the speeches,  President Tinubu will commission the National Assembly Library and  Resource Center, now to be known as Bola Ahmed Tinubu Building. 

 

Bayo Onanuga 

 

Special Adviser on Information & Strategy 

 

28 May, 2024