Winners Chapel has refuted reports that its founder and General Overseer, Bishop David Oyedepo, was denied US visa.
Thisday Newspaper had reported on Friday that the embassy denied Oyedepo visa and that he flew into a rage at the Embassy.
The Winners Chapel said the Bishop still has a valid visa and was no where the Embassy on Thursday, a position supported by the US Embassy.
The United States embassy on its official Twitter page, @USEmbassyAbuja, described the reports as ‘false’.
“#FalseNewsAlert!’’ Be advised, the reports making the rounds about a visa being denied to Nigerian Bishop Oyedepo are false.
“If you have seen this manufactured item in the media, help defeat this #misinformation by communicating to everyone that it is completely false.”
A statement by the Chairman, Editorial and Media Board of Winners, Prof. Sheriff Folarin, further debunked the report, adding that at no time was the Bishop denied an entry visa into the US.
He also explained that Oyedepo still has a valid US visa on his passport and would not have applied for another one yesterday (Thursday).
He said: “Mainstream and online media spaces this morning (Friday) were abuzz with the news that Bishop David Oyedepo was denied an entry visa to the United States on Thursday, January 30, 2020. We wish to put it on record and categorically submit that this piece of information is not true. At no time was the Bishop denied a visa, nor did he create a scene at the US consulate in Lagos, as purported by some mainstream and online newspapers.
“The Bishop renewed his visa, last year, without any initial denial or drama, or scene. The Bishop was not at the Embassy or Consulate yesterday or even anytime this year. Bishop has been in Canaanland all this week. The last time he applied for a visa, which was last year, he was issued without delay.”
He went further to say that the US Embassy had denied the reports, urging journalists to verify their facts before publishing.
“We have contacted the US Embassy and they are as surprised as we are about this FAKE NEWS, which some media houses decided to spread.
“We encourage the Nigerian media to always follow the line of due diligence before rushing to press and try to at least reach the church from time to time, whenever items try to pass through the rumour mill.
“Professionalism and wisdom require this so as to maintain integrity and make the media trusted in society, particularly in this age that fake news has become the news.
“Bishop Oyedepo is a good friend of the US government and has a very good relationship with US Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria. He is a social entrepreneur, who has touched so many lives in Nigeria, Africa, United States and all around the world.”
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