In a post on Monday using his official X account, Ajayi called the article “false and misleading,” claiming it had led to needless conjecture and “uninformed commentaries.”
Ajayi went on to say that Tinubu would meet with President Donald Trump rather than the Vice President if he were to visit the White House.
According to a Sahara Reporters story, President Tinubu is scheduled to visit U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on Tuesday. That narrative is untrue. I can see that since yesterday, some ignorant commentary has been based on Sahara’s bogus news. President Tinubu will not see a vice president if he is elected to the White House.
The explanation followed reports that Tinubu was scheduled to visit Washington for “top-level diplomatic engagements” in the midst of increased international attention to the purported persecution of Christians in Nigeria and a recent statement by Trump that hinted at potential military intervention.
In a post on his Truth account on Saturday, Trump threatened to “go in guns blazing” if the Nigerian government would not put an end to the purported murders of Christians.
“The United States of America will immediately cease providing aid and assistance to Nigeria if the Nigerian government permits the killing of Christians. They may even enter that now-disgraced nation “guns-a-blazing” in order to eradicate the Islamic terrorists responsible for these heinous crimes.
“I am giving our Department of War instructions to get ready for potential action.” He declared, “If we attack, it will be quick, vicious, and sweet, just as terrorist thugs attack our beloved Christians.”
Over the weekend, the President responded to the escalating uproar by refuting any allegations of a “Christian genocide” and reiterating Nigeria’s commitment to equality and religious freedom for all of its residents.
In an official statement sent through his X handle, Tinubu emphasized that religious freedom is guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution and that his administration is still working with religious leaders from various faiths to combat insecurity and advance peace.
Tinubu declared, “Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.”
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions,” he continued.
Additionally, the President rejected outside narratives that depicted Nigeria as religiously intolerant, calling them false and unrepresentative of the country’s diversity and dedication to peaceful coexistence.
According to Tinubu, “the portrayal of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.”
Tinubu reaffirmed that religious tolerance is fundamental to Nigerian identity, saying, “Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.” Nigeria does not support or condone religious persecution.
In order to strengthen understanding and safeguard communities of all faiths, he also promised to keep working with the US and other international partners.
Nigeria’s constitution guarantees the protection of its citizens of all faiths. Tinubu reaffirmed, “Our administration is dedicated to working with the US government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on the protection of communities of all faiths.”
