ADC Mocks Tinubu Govt Over Japan Visa Blunder

…Says presidency desperate for positive headlines…Tokyo debunks ‘special visa’ claims

By Jeremy Fregene

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) yesterday lampooned the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after the government of Japan debunked reports that it was creating a special visa category for Nigerians. National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the presidency of desperation, saying the false announcement exposed the All Progressives Congress (APC) government’s obsession with chasing positive headlines, even at the risk of spreading fake news.

The controversy began last Friday when the Director of Information at the State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye, issued a statement claiming that Japan had designated the city of Kisarazu as a “hometown” for Nigerians willing to live and work in the country. According to him, the new arrangement, unveiled on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD) on August 21, 2025, included a special visa category for highly skilled and talented young Nigerians, as well as artisans and blue-collar workers prepared to upskill.

Oladunjoye further said that under the same programme, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had named Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture the hometown of Tanzania, Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture the hometown of Ghana, and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture the hometown of Mozambique. He described the initiative as part of Tokyo’s efforts to deepen cultural diplomacy, promote economic growth, and strengthen workforce productivity.

But the narrative collapsed on Monday when Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement refuting the claim. While confirming the launch of the “JICA Africa Hometown” project, the ministry insisted that the programme was only designed to encourage cultural and social exchanges between African countries and selected Japanese cities, drawing from past cooperation initiatives.

The statement was unequivocal: “On the other hand, there are no plans to take measures to promote the acceptance of immigrants or issue special visas for residents of African countries, and the series of reports and announcements concerning such measures are not true. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan will continue to make efforts to ensure that appropriate reporting and statements regarding this matter are carried out.”

Reacting swiftly via his official X handle, Abdullahi said the clarification by Japan was nothing short of an embarrassment for Nigeria. According to him, the incident reflects the APC-led government’s growing credibility crisis. “This denial by the Japanese authorities shows that the Tinubu/APC government has become so desperate for positive headlines that they would not mind spreading FakeNews. The truth is, with this government, we don’t know what to believe anymore. This embarrassment just has to stop,” he declared.

The ADC spokesman argued that such diplomatic missteps diminish Nigeria’s standing on the global stage and erode public trust at home. He stressed that the government’s penchant for exaggerated claims was fast becoming a liability. “At a time when Nigerians are demanding solutions to insecurity, economic hardship, and widespread poverty, the government is busy chasing headlines with half-truths and outright fabrications,” Abdullahi said.