IBADAN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu is “staying focused” amid reactions trailing his workout video.
The former Governor of Lagos state shared a photo of himself reading a newspaper via Twitter and captioned it, “Staying focused. BAT23”
The image was shared on Thursday, few days after sharing a video of himself working out on a fitness bike to prove that he’s strong and healthy.
Concerns had been raised about Tinubu’s whereabouts after he failed to turn up for the peace accord signed by presidential candidates in the coming 2023 election.
He was, however, represented at the event by his running mate and former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima.
Giving reasons for the APC flagbearer’s absence, a member of the party’s presidential campaign council, Ayo Oyalowo, stated Tinubu had gone to London to rest.
He shared the video on Sunday night to dismiss rumours that he is dead.
The former Governor of Lagos State, in a tweet, also dismissed claims that he had withdrawn from the 2023 presidential race.
He wrote: “Many have said I have died; others claim I have withdrawn from the presidential campaign. Well… Nope.
“This is the reality: I am strong, I am healthy and I am READY to serve Nigerians from Day One.”
Festus Keyamo in reaction to the backlash received by Tinubu, said the APC presidential candidate, will soon be back in the country.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) stated this at the wake of the debates triggered by Tinubu’s absence in the country.
When asked if the APC flagbearer is in London on a medical trip, Keyamo said: “I don’t have such information”, maintaining that “I speak for the campaign council and not for the candidate.”
Keyamo also said Tinubu has nothing to prove about his health. As far as he is concerned, the spotlight on the APC candidate is because the “candidate to beat” for next year’s presidential poll.
The spokesman of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) made the comment on Wednesday following concerns raised about Tinubu’s continued stay in the UK.
“I know he would be back in a couple of days. I have that information. I don’t know the particular day,” the minister of state for Labour and Employment said on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“I can’t say Friday or Saturday but I know he would be back in a couple of days.”
Tinubu’s visit to the United Kingdom has made headlines in recent times. Critics claim his absence when political campaigns have kickstarted suggests there might be issues. Others claim the former Lagos State governor is on a medical visit to the UK.
According to Keyamo, Tinubu’s absence will not affect the APC campaign, recalling how the party started the campaign in 2019 50 days late.
“Buhari was around on that occasion. Was it because Buhari was sick that we started 50 or 60 days later? No! We had to properly plan a campaign,” he said.
“It is not true therefore that we have not kicked off because a candidate is sick and because he is not around. I am only saying that there is a history. So, it is not automatic (for APC to start presidential campaigns).”
The recent picture shared by the APC presidential flagbearer was a sign that he remain unperturbed by the rumors, even though he sees and hears everything being said about his candidacy.
He is expected back to the country soon, ahead of the campaign which should become extremely aggressive in the coming weeks.