The ruling All Progressives Congress denied that President Bola Tinubu’s private visit to the UK from the Paris summit on Saturday was for his health.
The President returned to the country on Tuesday before Eid-el-Kabir.
According to his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake, Tinubu went to London for a brief private visit.
The President held high-profile sideline meetings with fellow heads of state and government, global business leaders, and global multilateral and development finance institution CEOs.
However, his last-minute private visit caused trolls and critics to suggest that the former Lagos governor used it as a cover to visit his doctors.
In an exclusive Punch phone interview, Bala Ibrahim, APC Director of Publicity, denied the claim.
Ibrahim stated that such unfounded fear was unwarranted and that Tinubu had shown during his rigorous electioneering campaign and post-inauguration activities that he was fully prepared.
Why do people assume the President went for treatment whenever he travels? These predictions never materialized. The President escaped all their predictions. Why can’t they drop the “man is sick” mentality? Non-doctors make these silly claims. Some mechanics. Healthy people? Even observe nature. About three of the speculators have died while the man is moving.
“People should, therefore, stop challenging God. Nobody is 100 per cent healthy and the man himself has said he is contesting to be President, not the kick-boxer of Nigeria. He is doing his job as the Constitution requires. We all saw how he stood on the podium for hours during his inauguration. He took the salute, oath of office and allegiance, and even inspected the guard of honour. I think we should cut the man some slack,” he said.
A former coordinator in the dissolved All Progressives Congress Campaign Council, Dr Ene Ogbole, also expressed the same concern in a separate interview.
While dismissing the speculated ill-health of the President, Ogbole reiterated she wasn’t surprised Tinubu was the target of his critics and rumour-mongers.
“That rumour is not new. If we were to go by speculations and fabrications, the President would not be alive today because there were countless insinuations, rumours and lies here and there. He went strictly on official duty, which was expected of him. It is his constitutional responsibility to liaise with other countries of the world. After all, the world is a global village. Things are interwoven. People relate for economic, political, climate and several other reasons. So he has gone for his assignment, as we have seen, and he will be back.
“By the way, any man can fall ill. As I speak to you, I have arthritis in my legs. I can’t walk well. I’m 40 years plus, not to talk about a man like that. Younger people are falling ill, developing arthritis, dislocation or fracture. In fact, anything can happen. We are humans and not machines. Even machines develop faults. So what is wrong with him going to the hospital? But that is not the case. He has only gone for a meeting and will come back to move Nigeria forward in a positive direction,” she stated.
