Tinubu flown overseas to observe ‘rest’ as presidential campaign hots up

January 28, 2022

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One of the 2023 presidential hopefuls and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has reportedly left the country to observe some rest after holding a few consultations with prominent Nigerians on his presidential bid, which he once described as his lifelong ambition.

This, nonetheless, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has insisted thatTinubu was the most qualified Nigerian to be president in 2023.

Tinubu, yesterday, was absent at the inauguration of the working committees of a new movement in support of his ambition, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (ABAT), in GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

The movement was conceived and set up by members of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) in Lagos for the actualisation of Tinubu’s presidential ambition.

The event that was graced by some of the known political heavyweights in Lagos, including Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the state, GAC members, APC leaders across the state’s 57 local councils and a large number of party supporters, did not feature the principal actor, Tinubu, and thus raised concerns about his whereabouts.

The self-styled national leader of the APC, though a non-existent party position, had first met with President Muhammadu Buhari a couple of weeks ago, to intimate him of his intention to give the presidential run a shot in 2023, after which he held a press conference within the Villa precinct to further dwell on his mission.

He also recently met with former Military President and annuller of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, General Ibrahim Babangida, from whom he told the media, he had gone to “seek his blessing” over his presidential ambition.

Tinubu, who had also visited some northern states, including Niger and Katsina, under the guise of commiserating with the governors and the people, over recent incidences of insecurity and killings, further used the platform to sell the idea of his presidential bid.

However, believed to have been tired from the trips, Tinubu was said to have seen the need to quickly take a break, rest and also see his doctors outside the country.

Although some sources hinted he travelled to London, others were not particularly sure of his destination but could confirm he had since left the country to rest and also run some medical check-ups.

But Sanwo-Olu, yesterday, said Tinubu’s indisputable capability to effectively manage human and material resources for visible progress stood him out as the most qualified to be president next year.

A statement quoted Sanwo-Olu as saying Tinubu’s qualification rested on his demonstrated capacity in deploying a mix of genius and statecraft to nurture a city on the brink to a flourishing economy, noting that the progress in Lagos remained a visible experiment initiated by the APC National Leader.

Sanwo-Olu, had drummed support for the Tinubu candidacy during the formal inauguration of ABAT movement’s working committees in Ikeja, GRA.

The governor was in company with his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and all members of the State Executive Council.