American TV host Tony Perkins has disclosed that First Lady Remi Tinubu approached him to discuss religious freedom in Nigeria, but he declined, saying he does not want his show used to cover up happenings in Nigeria.
Perkins, who hosts Washington Watch, made the revelation during a February 4 episode featuring U.S. lawmaker Chris Smith, when the discussion turned to religious freedom.
According to Gazette, Smith was highlighting how President Bola Tinubu’s administration denied the killing of Christians in Nigeria while hiring American lobbyists to downplay the issue. It was during this discussion that Perkins revealed Mrs. Tinubu had reached out to him.
“The First Lady of Nigeria was here this week, and in fact, they wanted to come on the programme to talk about religious freedom, and I said, ‘I’m not gonna meet with them or have a meeting with anybody,’” Perkins said.
He added, “I’m not gonna give them a platform to cover up what they’re doing in Nigeria.”
Mrs. Tinubu recently visited the U.S. and attended the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday. Her attendance was acknowledged by former President Donald Trump, a move celebrated by pro-Tinubu supporters as a diplomatic win for Nigeria amid pressure from the U.S. government.
President Tinubu has faced scrutiny from Washington since Trump labeled Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern over the reported killings of Christians in November.
Her visit came months after Tinubu reportedly spent millions of dollars on Republican lobbyists to improve his image in Washington following Trump’s 2025 remarks calling Nigeria “a disgrace” under his leadership.
