THE Presidency has firmly denied swirling rumours about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health, following a media report alleging that the Nigerian leader had been bedridden for several days and might be flown abroad for urgent medical care.
News Point Nigeria reports that the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) had cited unnamed sources within the presidency claiming preparations were underway for the president’s medical team to arrange an overseas trip for treatment.
The outlet reported that Tinubu had not been seen in public for days, with Vice President Kashim Shettima stepping in to represent him at multiple high-profile engagements.
ICIR further alleged that several items on the president’s schedule were cancelled since the beginning of the week, and that his remaining commitments had been cleared to allow his doctors to monitor his condition more closely.
However, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, dismissed the claims as baseless. Speaking to ICIR, he said:
“People just tell you all kinds of rumours that have no basis at all. The president was in his office yesterday (August 5). I went to see him. He came to work.”
In a separate conversation with News Point Nigeria Monday morning, Onanuga insists the president was fine and fully capable of discharging his duties.
“There is nothing wrong with the president. He is okay. He can choose to work from home. He can choose to work from anywhere,” he said.
President Tinubu was last seen publicly on Friday, August 1, when he attended the opening of the Progressive Media Summit in Abuja.
At that event, he appeared healthy and energetic, delivering a speech urging young Nigerians in the digital media space to use their platforms to drive national progress.
Just days earlier, on July 29, he hosted the victorious Super Falcons football team after their triumph at the WAFCON Championship in Morocco.
The president stood for an extended period, shaking hands and congratulating the players before announcing monetary rewards for both players and coaches, a move that sparked public debate.
However, his absence at a similar reception for the equally victorious D’Tigress basketball team on August 3 raised questions.
Vice President Shettima represented him at that event, fuelling further speculation.
The ICIR report alleged that some official photographs released by the presidency last week were from earlier private meetings, not recent activities.
For instance, a press release on August 6 announcing Tinubu’s directive for free healthcare for low-income retirees and an increase in pensions included an image of him with the Director-General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Omolola Oloworaran.
Onanuga later confirmed the meeting had taken place days earlier at the president’s private residence, not in his office.
The report also noted that the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting did not hold last week.
Although the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, initially said the next FEC would be on August 6, Onanuga later clarified that Wednesday’s session had simply been postponed at the president’s discretion.
Additionally, a scheduled meeting with close associates of former President Muhammadu Buhari within the All Progressives Congress (APC) set for Tuesday, August 5 was cancelled.
On why Tinubu skipped certain engagements, Onanuga responded: “Why must he be at all functions? He has a deputy. He can delegate.”
He further pushed back against public demands for more appearances: “Do you want him to be doing public parade or something?”
The presidency insists that the president remains in charge of state affairs and is carrying out his duties, whether from his office or elsewhere.
For now, official word from Aso Rock is clear there is no medical crisis, and President Tinubu is “hale and hearty.”