The Presidency yesterday dispelled the rumour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s illness.
The International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) had quoted sources as saying that preparations were underway by the president’s medical team to potentially fly him abroad for urgent medical attention.
According to information gathered by The ICIR, the President had reportedly been bedridden for several days, resulting in his absence from key state functions. In his stead, Vice President Kashim Shettima has represented the Presidency at some official engagements.
The medium also quoted an Aso Rock insider as saying that several of Tinubu’s scheduled activities had been cancelled since the beginning of the week.
According to the ICIR, it is also believed that the remainder of his weekly agenda has been cleared to allow his medical team to monitor his condition closely.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had told The ICIR that “people just tell you all kinds of rumours that have no basis at all.”
He insisted that the president was working. “He was in his office yesterday (August 5). I was with him. I went to see him. He came to work.”
When contacted, Onanuga dismissed the rumour of the president’s illness.
On why the president did not attend any public function since last week, Onanuga replied that the president could choose to work from home.
“There is nothing wrong with the president, he is okay. He can choose to work from home. He can choose to work from anywhere. I tell you nothing is wrong with the president,” the presidential spokesman told Daily Trust.
According to the ICIR, Tinubu was last seen publicly on Friday, August 1, where he attended the opening of the Progressive Media Summit, themed ‘Unveiling the Critical Role of New Media in National Development.’
He appeared healthy during the event where he encouraged young Nigerians in the digital media space to leverage their platforms for national progress.
Days earlier, on July 29, the president led the reception for the Super Falcons upon their return to Nigeria after a remarkable victory at the WAFCON Championship in Morocco. The president stood for an extended period, personally congratulating the team before announcing generous rewards for both players and their coaches. The rewards stirred public debate and criticism from some quarters.
His absence at a similar reception for the victorious D’Tigress team on August 3 raised questions, especially as Vice President Shettima stood in for him at the event.
According to the ICIR, despite the president’s absence, the presidency has continued issuing official statements. One such release on August 6 announced Tinubu’s directive for the rollout of free healthcare for low-income retirees and an increase in pensions. The release included a photograph of the President with the Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Omolola Oloworaran, though it did not specify when the meeting occurred.
The ICIR investigation revealed that the meeting had taken place days earlier before it was sent out as a press release at the President’s private residence, not his office. Onanuga later confirmed this.
On the same day, another press release conveyed Tinubu’s condolences to Ghana following a tragic air crash that claimed the lives of the Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, and several others.
The ICIR investigation also revealed that the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting failed to hold last week.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, had told reporters last Thursday that the next FEC meeting would hold on August 6.
The ICIR gathered that the ministers and members of council had been reached to inform them of the postponement as none of them came around the villa around the usual hours of the meeting.
Onanuga had clarified that no FEC was scheduled for Monday, while Wednesday’s session was postponed by the President.
“Yes, he postponed it. It’s not an issue,” he said.
He explained that, “There is no certain time for FEC. The FEC meeting can be held on Monday, it can be held on Wednesday. It can be held on a Thursday.”
The ICIR investigations revealed that several high-level meetings were quietly shelved. Among them was a scheduled engagement with close associates of former President Muhammadu Buhari within the All Progressives Congress (APC), originally set for the afternoon of Tuesday, August 5. The meeting was abruptly cancelled.
When asked why Tinubu skipped the D’Tigress event, Onanuga had told the ICIR: “Why must he be at all functions? Is it compulsory he must be at all functions? He has a deputy. He can delegate.”
On his lack of public appearances, he said: “I said he was in the office yesterday (August 5). I was with him. Do you want him to be doing public parade or something?”
Daily Trust
