Tinubu Has No Plan To Rename Nigeria, Abolish Sharia Law In Northern States, Says Presidency

The Nigerian presidency has firmly dismissed a viral report alleging that President Bola Tinubu is planning sweeping constitutional changes that would rename Nigeria to the “United States of Nigeria” and abolish Sharia law in the northern region, describing the claims as “fake, misleading, and deliberately engineered to cause political tension ahead of elections.”

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bola Tinubu, the Presidency said the report making the rounds on social media and some blogs is entirely false and should be ignored by the public.

The statement said the fabricated report falsely claimed that President Tinubu intended to push a constitutional amendment process under a so-called “Project True Federation,” allegedly scheduled to be transmitted to the National Assembly by December 15, ahead of the 2026 general elections.

According to the Presidency, the claim is part of a coordinated misinformation effort designed by desperate politicians to destabilise the country and create ethnic and religious tension.

The statement read, “The Presidency wishes to inform Nigerians and state clearly that there is no truth to the viral fake story claiming that President Tinubu seeks to carry out constitutional amendments that will change Nigeria’s name to the United States of Nigeria and abolish Sharia Law in the Northern region, among other claims.”

It further stated that the alleged proposal, including the purported “Project True Federation,” does not exist and has never been discussed within any official government channel.

The government urged Nigerians to completely disregard the viral publication, warning that those behind it are “agents of destabilisation and merchants of disorder.”

“Nigerians should ignore the viral story in its entirety because the purveyors of the fake news are agents of destabilization and merchants of disorder,” it stated.

On the constitutional amendment process, the Presidency stressed that such changes are neither arbitrary nor within the unilateral control of the President or the National Assembly.

It explained that constitutional amendments require a rigorous legislative process, including a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers of the National Assembly and approval by at least 24 State Houses of Assembly.

“Under our laws, constitutional changes and amendments are serious business that require legislative scrutiny, oversight and serious debate. The process of amending the constitution is not at the President’s or the National Assembly’s whim. It is a task that requires a 2/3 majority in both chambers of the National Assembly and the concurrence of 24 State Houses of Assembly.”

The Presidency also clarified that President Tinubu is currently focused on economic reforms and governance priorities rather than constitutional restructuring or politically sensitive legislative proposals.

“President Tinubu is focused on the arduous task of entrenching and deepening the economic reforms his administration has embarked upon. He is focused on delivering more tangible dividends to Nigerians,” it stated.

The statement warned that fake news and politically motivated misinformation will likely increase as the country moves closer to the 2026 election season, urging citizens to verify information before sharing.

“Nigerians should be wary of consuming fake and divisive reports, which will proliferate as the nation begins political campaigns, a prelude to the general elections in January 2026,” it added.