Absence of President-elect causes tension in APC camp as cold war brews Tinubu’s wife, Shettima

Patrick OdeyMarch 29, 2023

1 minute read

The continued absence of President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has allegedly caused tension in the camp of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in the just-concluded presidential election.

Despite Tinubu marking his 71st birthday anniversary today (Wednesday), March 29, which he usually celebrates with a lecture series under the auspices of the Bola Tinubu Colloquium, the whereabouts and health condition of the President-elect have continued to generate ripples within his political circle.

On Monday, Tinubu’s spokesperson, Tunde Rahman, announced “that the president-elect had directed that prayers should be offered across Lagos in celebration of his 71st birthday anniversary” instead of the annual ritual of the crowd-pulling colloquium.

Recall that Tinubu’s media team had disclosed that the former Lagos State governor travelled overseas for vacation and subsequently Lesser Hajj in Saudia Arabia.

Sources within the ruling APC have allegedly revealed to Leadership Newspaper that Tinubu’s trip outside the country and tales of his failing health condition “are already getting many leaders of the party nervous.”

“Look at the way he left the country secretly. He was already out of the country before his spokesman released the press statement about the trip. No airport photos showing his departure and arrival at his destination. It’s strange for a President-elect of a country like Nigeria,” one source told the publication.

In both the ruling APC and the opposition parties, there were growing concerns among political leaders on the prospects of Tinubu being inaugurated as President on May 29, when the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to hand over.

Leadership also revealed that sources said the development is beginning to allegedly brew a cold war between the incoming First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the incoming Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima.