By The Presidency has dismissed as false and misleading reports claiming that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu plans to rename Nigeria as the “United States of Nigeria” and abolish Sharia law in the northern part of the country through constitutional amendments.
In a statement issued on Thursday, May 21, 2026, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga described the viral report as fake news designed to create tension and destabilise the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the statement, there is no proposal before the Federal Government seeking to alter the country’s name or tamper with the constitutional rights of states operating Sharia law.
The Presidency said the report, which relied on unnamed sources, was the handiwork of “desperate politicians” attempting to incite political unrest and mislead Nigerians.
“The story is part of the dubious plot by some desperate politicians to create disaffection in our country, stir up a political crisis, and heat the polity ahead of the general elections,” the statement said.
The Presidency also denied claims that President Tinubu intended to transmit a constitutional amendment bill, allegedly code-named “Project True Federation,” to the National Assembly before the 2027 elections.
It stressed that constitutional amendments are governed by strict legal procedures that cannot be carried out unilaterally by the President or lawmakers.
“Under our laws, constitutional changes and amendments are serious business that require legislative scrutiny, oversight and serious debate,” the statement added
The statement further explained that any amendment to the constitution would require the approval of two-thirds of members of both chambers of the National Assembly, as well as endorsement by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly.
The Presidency maintained that President Tinubu remains focused on implementing economic reforms and delivering development programmes for Nigerians rather than engaging in divisive political agendas.
It also warned citizens against spreading unverified information capable of causing ethnic, religious and political tension as the country gradually moves toward another election season.
“Nigerians should ignore the viral story in its entirety because the purveyors of the fake news are agents of destabilisation and merchants of disorder,” the statement concluded.
