Tony Perkins, host of Washington Watch, publicly rejected a request from First Lady Remi Tinubu to discuss religious freedom on his platform, citing concerns over government “cover-ups” in Nigeria.
“The First Lady of Nigeria was here this week, they wanted to come on the program to talk about religious freedom. I said, ‘I’m not gonna meet with them. I’m not gonna give them a platform to cover up what they’re doing in Nigeria.’”
– Tony Perkins speaks with US Rep Chris Smith pic.twitter.com/w8ujUJGW5U
— Pulse Nigeria (@PulseNigeria247) February 8, 2026
American broadcaster Tony Perkins revealed Wednesday that he denied a request from Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to appear on his program Washington Watch. Perkins stated that the First Lady sought to discuss religious freedom, but he declined the interview to avoid providing a platform for state-led narratives. The rejection follows a February 4 broadcast where U.S. lawmaker Chris Smith accused the Nigerian government of downplaying the killing of Christians.
“I’m not gonna meet with them or have a meeting with anybody,” Perkins said during his show, emphasizing his refusal to assist in what he termed a “cover-up” of events in Nigeria. The First Lady had traveled to Washington for the National Prayer Breakfast, an event where President Donald Trump formally recognized her presence. Despite the diplomatic visibility of her visit, the First Lady did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Perkins’ public refusal.
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