The presidency has debunked claims that Nigerian leader, President Bola Tinubu, was snubbed by his South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, during his second-term inauguration ceremony in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
In denying the claims, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, released some pictures of Ramaphosa shaking hands with Tinubu during the event in South Africa.
It would be recalled that President Tinubu had, on Tuesday, departed Nigeria for South Africa to attend the second-term inauguration of President Ramaphosa, but shortly after the event, which was held on Wednesday, certain opposition figures took to social media with claims that the Nigerian leader was ignored, disgraced and kept on the second row of dignitaries during the inauguration event.
In a counter move, Onanuga took to the X platform where he shared photos of Ramaphosa and Tinubu at the event. He also emphasized in another post that all foreign dignitaries started sitting from the second row during the event, and the same thing happened during Tinubu’s inauguration in 2023.
He wrote: “Composite photos show President Cyril Ramaphosa and Chief Justice Raymond Zondo the inaugauration ceremony on 19 June 2024. Ramaphosa also meets Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Chief Justice Raymond Zondo the inaugauration ceremony on 19 June 2024. Ramaphosa also meets Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and Chief Justice Raymond Zondo the inaugauration ceremony on 19 June 2024. Ramaphosa also meets Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Earlier, the presidency had called out activist, Aisha Yesufu, over claims that President Tinubu was snubbed in South Africa.
The controversy began when Yesufu alleged via Twitter that President Tinubu was snubbed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during an inauguration event following his re-election.
In her tweet, Yesufu claimed that President Tinubu had been “disgraced and shunned,” sparking a flurry of social media reactions.
The presidency quickly issued a response through Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who described Yesufu and her followers as “an uncouth horde of pessimists,” further accusing them of bitterness stemming from their candidate’s third-place finish in the 2023 elections.
Onanuga criticized Yesufu for her hasty judgment and consistently negative attitude toward President Tinubu, contrasting this with the behaviour of supporters of the second-place candidate in the elections.
The Senior Special Assistant on New Media to President Tinubu, O’tega Ogra, also joined the rebuttal, accusing Yesufu of “crass ignorance” and of actions aimed more at gaining social media traction than engaging constructively.