The Presidency has denied reports circulating on social media that President Bola Tinubu conferred a national honour on prominent activist Aisha Yesufu.
Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, issued a statement on Friday debunking the claim, describing the viral list as “fake news.”
The confusion stemmed from an unverified list, purportedly circulated by Leadership newspaper, suggesting that Yesufu was among the recipients of national honours recently conferred by the President.
“The story on a viral list of national honours featuring the name of Aisha Yesufu and others credited to Leadership newspaper is fake news. It should be ignored,” Ajayi stated via his official X handle.
Ajayi clarified that apart from the individuals mentioned in President Tinubu’s Democracy Day address at the National Assembly, no new honours were awarded.
Earlier reports had accurately named former Senator and human rights advocate Shehu Sani among those honoured by the President, alongside other notable Nigerians.
However, including Aisha Yesufu’s name in the alleged extended list sparked widespread confusion online. One user on X suggested the honour was a reward for Yesufu’s alleged support of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating: “It’s your own Aisha Yesufu. It is a reward for years of supporting the APC… Thank Tinubu and stop being an ingrate.”
Reacting to the claim, Yesufu distanced herself from the honour, writing: “God forbid! It can never be this Aisha Yesufu. Thank you.”
Yesufu, a co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls movement, is a vocal critic of the current administration and an ardent supporter of Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi. She has consistently rejected the legitimacy of the 2023 presidential election results and has stated that Obi, not Tinubu, won the poll.
Her public stance and opposition to the APC made including her name in the honours list all the more contentious.
The Presidency’s clarification aims to put the matter to rest and prevent the spread of misinformation regarding national recognitions.
