By Emma Emeozor
All Progressive Congress (APC) has denied reports that President Bola Tinubu visit to London after the Paris summit on Saturday was for medical treatment.
Tinubu, who was initially scheduled to return to Abuja, proceeded to London for a short private visit, according to a statement signed by his
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake had said the president was departing Paris for London on a private visit.
Tinubu arrived in Lagos on Tuesday afternoon to join the Ed-el-Kabir celebration.
But speculation in the social media indicated that the president used the Paris summit as a cover up to travel to London to see his doctors. Some watchers of the president’s affairs have repeatedly argued that he was grappling with ailing health.
Aside from his participation at the event, the president held high-profile sideline meetings with fellow heads of state and government, global business leaders, and chief executives of leading multilateral and development finance institutions from around the world.
But in a report yesterday, APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed claims that Tinubu was in London for medical check up. He wondered why people always speculate that the president has travelled for medical check up whenever he is in London.
“Why is it that every time the president travels, people will speculate that he went for treatment? Yet, not once did any of these speculations come to pass. Everything they speculated against the president didn’t materialise.
“For God’s sake, why can’t they jettison this mentality of ‘the man is sick?’ When you investigate, you will discover those making these silly statements are not doctors. Some are even mechanics. Who is healthy? They should even look at what nature is doing. 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.
Ibrahim was not alone in the dismissal of the reports. Former coordinator in the dissolved All Progressives Congress Campaign Council, Dr. Ene Ogbole also asked the public to ignore the reports.
Ogbole said the reports were the handiwork of Tinubu’s critics and rumour-mongers.
“That rumour is not new. In fact, if we were to go by speculations and fabrications, I don’t think the President should 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 so far 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.