In a recent post on X, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s daughter has seriously accused her father of poor health and leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to her, Tinubu’s recent trip abroad to France, which was officially described as a two-week working visit, was actually called for by his poor health.
According to her, the president is sick, and there are not enough medical facilities in Nigeria to take care of him, so he has to travel abroad for treatment. She accused the APC of falsehood, claiming that the party misleads Nigerians by staging such trips as official visits when they are actually for medical purposes. Her statement that the “Presidency under APC now has a branch office in France” shows that she is irritated by Tinubu’s recurring foreign medical travel.
She further alleged that President Tinubu, officially 73 years old, is “naturally over 80” and implied inconsistencies with the stated age. She was critical of APC for lacking transparency, stating that Tinubu’s claimed policies he was rewriting in France could have been done in Nigeria. Invoking the APC and Presidency to stop their deceptive practices, she offered prayers to sustain her father until his term in office, observing the seriousness of his case.
Historical Background of President Tinubu’s Health Issues
The health of President Tinubu has long been a concern in the public eye. There are reports that President Tinubu has made nine trips by air to France since March 2023, of which seven occurred after he took over the presidency. Such visits, normally described as “working visits,” have been said to be for medical reasons, with sources suggesting that Tinubu was consulting his doctors.
One of the most notable instances was in March 2023, following a viral video of Tinubu with visible health issues, which fueled speculations regarding his health. He returned to Nigeria on April 24, 2023, but was reported to have returned to France shortly after for further medical consultations.
The constant travels, totaling 21 days in France within two months, have raised doubts about whether he can properly rule and the transparency of his administration regarding his health.
Consequences for the 2027 Election
The revelations could have a serious impact on Tinubu’s bid for the 2027 Nigerian presidential election. The accusation of deceit by his own daughter could erode people’s trust in the APC as a party that is disconnected from citizens’ challenges.
Nigeria is also faced with the grave economic troubles, with 63% of its population being poor, as revealed by a 2022 National Bureau of Statistics report. If Tinubu’s health would be considered a point of vulnerability, it could contribute to doubt over whether he can lead through these times, especially given his daughter’s claim that he is older than has been reported.
The opposition can capitalize on this opportunity to protest Tinubu’s re-election eligibility. As The Africa Report reports, even with the fragmentation of the opposition, there is a story of Tinubu’s ill health and the lack of transparency in APC that can unite them.
If the APC fails to address these challenges through transparency, then Tinubu’s second term in 2027 will have high hurdles to overcome, with his health and APC’s credibility becoming election talking points.
