Activist Deji Adeyanju has said Thursday’s visit by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, in London, shows that the former Lagos State Governor is sick and should take some deserved rest.
Adeyanju, who is the convener of Concerned Nigerians made this known on Friday.
Efforts to get the comments of Tinubu’s Media Adviser, Tunde Rahman, proved abortive as he neither took calls to his line nor replied to text messages sent by our correspondent as of the time of filing this report.
Recall that presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, posted some photos on Facebook on Thursday and captioned it, “President Muhammadu Buhari this evening in London, the United Kingdom, visited Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
In the photos, Tinubu was seen leaning on a walking stick as he posed for a shot with the President.
Tinubu’s health has been a subject of controversy of late but in a press statement on July 31, 2021, his Media Adviser, Tunde Rahman, said though the former Lagos State Governor was out of Nigeria, he was not hospitalised as claimed by some reports.
Also, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, subsequently visited the APC stalwart in London and took photos with him to dispel the overwhelming reports that Tinubu was sick and hospitalised.
Commenting on the President’s visit to Tinubu in London on Thursday, Adeyanju said, “On the issue of the walking stick, Asiwaju is apparently very sick. Culturally, he should be the one visiting the President. So, for the President, who is also on a medical pilgrimage in the UK, to get up and meet Asiwaju, means the matter is serious. Anyhow you look at it, both men are abroad on medical tourism and pilgrimage and it does not augur well for the image of the country, especially at a time when resident doctors are on strike.
“His (Tinubu’s) fragility is apparently visible. Just like Buhari in 2015 when he was campaigning; he looked so fragile and we warned Nigerians that the country does not need someone who is sick and fragile because even developed countries need healthy Presidents not to talk of under-developed countries.
“Both of them are tired and need to be attended to by their loved ones and caregivers. Nigerians cannot afford to be the ones taking care of their medical bills. We have gone beyond the stage of Aso Rock being the retirement place of sick, old men.”
When told that President Joe Biden of the United States is 78 years old, the activist said, “America is an ever-working institutionalised country. The institutions are working and completely independent of the President. You can’t compare over 200 years of democracy with ours which is just over 20 years.”
Tinubu, who celebrated his 69th birthday earlier in March 2021, has been rumoured to nurse presidential ambition in 2023 but Adeyanju said the APC leader should rather support a younger candidate and take some deserved rest.
“All Nigerians of goodwill should wish these people well. I have nothing against the President, I have nothing against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. But what is wrong with Asiwaju supporting one of his children? There are so many of his children who can rule this country effectively. I don’t know why they keep insisting that he must be there. Asiwaju should please go and rest and take care of his health,” he said.
Source: Punch
