Officials from the Nigerian Presidency have debunked reports alleging that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is facing serious health issues that have hindered his ability to govern.
The allegations surfaced through a report by the Nigerian Institute for Investigative Journalism, which claimed that unnamed insiders confirmed the President was bedridden and that arrangements were being made to fly him abroad for treatment. The same report argued that his supposed ill-health had caused inefficiencies in governance, with Vice President Kashim Shettima filling in at multiple state functions.
Addressing these claims in an interview with BBC Hausa on Monday, AbdulAziz AbdulAziz, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media, said the report was baseless.
“There is no truth in these statements. He is still in office,” AbdulAziz affirmed.
The President’s absence at the August 3 D’Tigress reception had fuelled speculation, particularly as Shettima represented him. However, records show Tinubu attended the August 1 Summit on Journalism for National Development and had recently welcomed the Super Falcons to celebrate their continental victory.
The Presidency reiterated that government business is running smoothly under Tinubu’s leadership and described the health rumours as a deliberate distraction.