The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has refuted rumors that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the incoming president, has been flown overseas for emergency medical care.
The claimed ailment of the former governor of Lagos and his late Tuesday night flight to London, United Kingdom, have been widely reported in the media.
A petition to protest the results of Saturday’s presidential election that produced the president-elect was submitted by Labour Party candidate Peter Obi hours prior to the latest development.
It’s not the first time the president-elect has allegedly been flown abroad for medical attention.
Reacting to the news of Tinubu’s illness on Wednesday, the APC PCC Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, denied the allegation, saying his principal only went to rest abroad.
Onanuga also noted that he would also use the opportunity of vacation to go for Umrah (lesser Hajj) after observing the annual Muslim fast.
He said, “Which Asiwaju is ill. Was he not seen when he went to cast his vote? Does he look like a sick man? The man just travelled on vacation. He went to take a rest. I think he wants to use the opportunity to observe Ramadan outside the country and move to Umrah from there before returning to Nigeria.
“This man has been on the move since last year and, sincerely, deserves all the rest he can get. His office will soon issue a statement.”
The Chief spokesman for the APC PCC, Festus Keyamo, also shared Onanuga’s position on the issue.
Keyamo noted that the people spreading the rumour were those who are still nursing their wounds after losing out in the election.
“Please help us tell those flying the news around that the election has ended. What they are doing now is campaigning after the election. They should leave Asiwaju alone. He deserves some rest after the election,” he said.
Asked which country Tinubu visited for his vacation, Keyamo claimed that he cannot immediately confirm as of the time of reporting.
He stated, “I cannot confirm. But all I can tell you is that Asiwaju is hale and hearty.”