Presidency breaks silence on ‘Tinubu’s convoy assault’

The Presidency has dismissed stories that President Bola Tinubu’s convoy was attacked by indignant youths after he noticed Friday prayers on the Shehu Shagari Central Mosque in Area 1, Garki, Abuja.

The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Digital Engagement, Strategy and New Media, O’tega Ogra, rejected the stories, describing the movies circulating on social media as deceptive and presenting a unique account of what occurred throughout Tinubu’s departure from the mosque, blueprint stories.

The controversy adopted the President’s go to to the mosque on Friday, November 13, the place movies shared on-line appeared to indicate some youths chanting rejection slogans and throwing stones at a convoy believed to belong to him.

Some of the people had been heard shouting “Ba ma yi, ba ma so”, a Hausa expression translated as “We don’t want you; we don’t support you.”

The footage, which gained widespread consideration on social media, was shared by a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dino Melaye, who introduced it as proof of a hostile reception for the President.

However, Ogra challenged that interpretation in a submit on his X account, releasing one other video exhibiting Tinubu leaving the mosque after the Juma’at prayer.

“Contrary to the narrative being pushed by the opposition, with videos of their alleged paid thugs at the National Mosque today, here is footage of Mr President leaving the mosque after Friday prayers this afternoon,” Ogra wrote.

The footage shared by the presidential aide confirmed Tinubu wearing a white outfit and a black cap bearing his conventional insignia, acknowledging individuals who gathered round his car, waving and taking pictures as he departed.

Ogra’s response was aimed toward disputing the suggestion that the President was attacked through the mosque go to.

Conflicting accounts over what occurred

The incident has generated competing accounts of the occasions surrounding the President’s departure from the mosque.

While the video circulated by Melaye appeared to indicate people throwing objects in direction of a convoy believed to be Tinubu’s, the footage launched by Ogra confirmed the President leaving amid individuals who seemed to be cheering and taking pictures.

The Presidency maintained that the viral narrative was deceptive and alleged that opposition parts had been pushing a false account of the incident.

However, the emergence of the 2 movies has fuelled public debate about what truly occurred outdoors the mosque and whether or not the people seen throwing objects had been focusing on the presidential convoy.

There has been no independently established affirmation that Tinubu was bodily struck by a stone or sustained any damage through the incident.

The distinction between stories of an assault on the convoy and an assault on the President himself has additionally turn into necessary within the debate surrounding the incident.

Incident comes amid rising political pressure

The controversy comes amid rising political pressure forward of the 2027 common elections, with stories of violence and confrontations at political gatherings elevating considerations concerning the conduct of political actions.

Earlier on Friday, Tinubu warned politicians and their supporters towards resorting to violence, thuggery and different actions able to undermining democratic processes.

In a press release personally signed by him, the President directed safety businesses to deal decisively with people concerned in political violence and different anti-democratic actions.

He condemned assaults and intimidation at political gatherings, insisting that political campaigns ought to deal with insurance policies, concepts and proposals able to bettering the welfare of Nigerians.

“Our campaigns should be about issues, a contestation of ideas that promote the welfare of our people and the progress of our country,” he mentioned.

Tinubu additionally maintained that political variations mustn’t flip residents into enemies, stressing that belonging to completely different political events or pursuing completely different political ambitions mustn’t justify hostility.

The President’s warning adopted stories of violence at political gatherings in several elements of the nation, together with an assault on a city corridor assembly organised by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and attended by its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

The newest controversy surrounding Tinubu’s convoy has additional drawn consideration to the safety implications of political disagreements as events and their supporters step by step put together for the 2027 elections.

While the Presidency has rejected claims that the President’s convoy was attacked, the competing movies have continued to generate reactions, with questions remaining concerning the circumstances surrounding the incident on the Abuja mosque.