Presidency denies rumours of Femi Gbajabiamila’s replacement, confirming he remains Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
The Presidency has categorically denied widespread social media reports suggesting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has replaced his Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, with the Principal Private Secretary, Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
In a statement issued on Christmas Day, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, described the report as false and misleading, stressing that no such change has occurred within the Presidency.
According to the statement, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila remains firmly in office as the Chief of Staff to President Tinubu, while Hakeem Muri-Okunola continues to discharge his duties as Principal Private Secretary. The Presidency emphasized that claims of any replacement are entirely unfounded.
“There is absolutely no truth to this story, and Nigerians should disregard it completely,” the statement noted, warning that the rumour was deliberately fabricated to create unnecessary tension and confusion within government circles.
The Presidency further blamed the spread of the false information on individuals bent on promoting fake news, urging members of the public and media organizations to verify information from credible and official sources before sharing.
The clarification followed a wave of online posts, some circulating as early as December 24, which falsely announced a change in the Chief of Staff position using misleading graphics and so-called “breaking news” headlines that rapidly gained attention across social media platforms.