TheCable

Since Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos state, declared his intention to run for president in 2023, a lot of concerns have been raised about his health.

The “Jagaban”, as he is popularly called by his admirers and supporters, has been in and out of hospital in the UK.

But that has not prevented him from going around the country to consult with leaders at different levels about his presidential ambition.

Many of his supporters — politicians like Kashim Shettima, serving senator, and Abdulmumin Jibrin, former house of representatives member — have argued that Tinubu deserves to be president because he worked hard for President Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential bid in 2015.

The argument is also premised on the clamour for power to orbit to the south in 2023.

At a consultative meeting on Friday, the former Lagos governor said he is psychologically fit to contest for presidency in 2023.

He had visited the palace of Jimoh Olanipekun, Ataoja of Osogbo, to inform him of his decision to run for the highest office in the country.

“I am not applying for the job of bricklaying or grave digging,” he said fuelling concerns that he may indeed have issues with his health and admitting it inadvertently.

“I went to school to study accountancy and management. I am applying for a thinking job and I will do it right. The job I want to do is for Nigeria to be greater and to be proud of itself.”

‘I’M HALE AND HEARTY’

In 2021, Tinubu spent months in the UK where he underwent a knee surgery.

Upon his arrival in Nigeria in October, the APC chieftain said he was “hale and hearty”.

“And he (God) says, if I grant you power and the privilege in this life; I am the only one who can take it from you if you don’t use it in the way and manner that promotes humanity. God can give power to any one he wills,” he had said at an event hosted by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos governor.

“It is the same God that has spared us till today and has given us the privilege. I give glory to God, because I’m standing before you hale, hearty and well.”

But that was not the first time the “hale and hearty” phrase was used as regards the health of Tinubu.

In August 2021, Sanwo-Olu visited Tinubu while he was recuperating in London.

“Yes, indeed, I am the one you saw in the picture that I took when I visited our leader in London just to dispel all of the rumours that were flying around that he was sick and hospitalised,” he had said after visiting Tinubu.

“You saw him (Tinubu). He is well, he is healthy and we conversed. We talked about what is happening in our party, what is happening in the nation and just to say to him that all is well.”

Issues surrounding Tinubu’s health seem to never go away despite the fact that the former governor and his associates have tried to downplay them.

For Tinubu to say the top job is not bricklaying but one that requires thinking, is he in any way admitting that he is not physically strong enough for the rigours of office?