The Presidency has refuted a viral document circulating on social media that falsely claims President Bola Tinubu conferred national honours on human rights activist Aisha Yesufu and 35 others.
The list, which gained traction online on Friday, included the name of Yesufu — a vocal critic of the Tinubu administration — sparking heated conversations across political divides.
However, in a swift response, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, described the list as “fake news” and urged the public to disregard it.
“The story on a viral list of national honours featuring the name of Aisha Yesufu and others credited to the Leadership newspaper is fake news. It should be ignored,” Ajayi stated in a Facebook post.
He added, “The Presidency has not issued fresh names for national honour different from the ones in President Tinubu’s address to the joint sitting of the National Assembly yesterday.”
During his Democracy Day speech on Thursday, June 13, President Tinubu announced 66 recipients of national honours in recognition of their pivotal roles in advancing Nigeria’s democratic development.
Among the awardees were notable posthumous honourees such as:
Shehu Musa Yar’Adua – Former Chief of Staff and democracy icon
Kudirat Abiola – Renowned June 12 martyr and wife of the late MKO Abiola
Prof. Humphrey Nwosu – Former NEC Chairman who conducted the historic 1993 elections
The Democracy Day awards form part of efforts by the Tinubu administration to honour Nigerians who have made significant sacrifices and contributions to the nation’s democratic journey.
The Presidency’s clarification aims to counter misinformation and reaffirm the authenticity of the official honours list released during the National Assembly joint sitting.
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