The Federal Government has described the list of nominees for National Honours being circulated by some media organisations as fake and that it did not emanate from them.
It would be recalled that a list had emerged recently containing some names of awardees. Some of the nominees in the list in circulation are President Muhammadu Buhari’s late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, to be awarded posthumously and 436 others.
The purported list also includes Presidential Spokesperson, Femi Adesina, Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, and Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
According to it, the investiture is billed to hold on 11th October at the State House in Abuja.
However, the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs, Julie Jacobs, told Tribune Online that the Ministry is waiting for approval by President Muhammadu Buhari before official release.
Jacobs said it has unfortunately come to the notice of the Ministry that some people are even deleting and adding names to the original list.
“From the Ministry, nothing has come out from us yet. We are still waiting for approval by Mr President before we publish it. That does not mean that all the names there are wrong but I understand that some people are deleting and adding names”.
Jacobs in her earlier statement said, “the list in circulation is an attempt by overzealous reporters whose aim is to break news even when such news is fake.”
She added that even though it is true that President Muhammadu Buhari, would be conferring National Honours on deserving Nigerians and friends of Nigeria, the authentic list of nominees is yet to be released to the public.
According to the statement: “The attention of the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs has been drawn to a purported list of nominees for National Honours being circulated by some online media organisations.
“While it is true that President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, will be conferring National Honours on deserving Nigerians and friends of Nigeria on 11th October 2022, the authentic list of nominees is yet to be released to the public.
“The Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs will publish the list at the appropriate time and medium.
“Members of the public are hereby enjoined to discountenance the list in circulation as it is an attempt by overzealous reporters whose aim is to break news even when such news is fake.
