Nigeria’s ‘President-elect’, Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken steps to further shroud his health condition in secrecy as concerns continue to mount over his long absence from the public.
To further keep Nigerians in the dark regarding his reported critical health condition, the former Lagos state governor has barred his aides, visitors and handlers of his social media handles from using mobile phones not approved of in France.
According to SaharaReporters, the move is to forestall any disclosure of the severity of Tinubu’s ailment to the public.
Recall that Tinubu in March travelled to Europe some days after the governorship and State Assembly elections to seek medical care after falling ill.
It was gathered that Tinubu fell ill after the “hectic” electioneering that led to his emergence as the ‘President-elect’ and the tension that built up ahead of the March 18 Lagos State governorship and House of Assembly elections where he also voted.
Tinubu had confirmed his travelling to Paris, France and the United Kingdom to rest and plan the transition programme, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Tunde Rahman.
Rahman said Tinubu would later go to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj.
“After a very exhaustive campaign and election season, President-elect, Asíwájú Bola Tinubu, has travelled abroad to rest and plan his transition programme ahead of May 29, 2023 inauguration.
“The President-elect left the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja for Europe on Tuesday night.
“The President-elect decided to take a break after the hectic campaign and election season to rest in Paris and London, preparatory to going to Saudi Arabia for Umrah (Lesser Hajj) and the Ramadan Fasting that begins Thursday,” he said.
“While away, the President-elect will also use the opportunity to plan his transition programme. He is expected back in the country soon.”
On Tuesday, it was gathered that the former Lagos State governor whose 71st birthday was celebrated a few days ago in Nigeria in his absentia has forbidden his aides and other people coming close to him in France from using phones not approved by him to avoid revealing his state of health.
“Tinubu has barred his aides, visitors and handlers from using phones not approved for fear of revealing the level of his ailment in France,” an inside source told SaharaReporters.
“He is afraid that there is someone in his inner circle revealing things to journalists and as May 29, when he will be inaugurated gets nears, his people are trying to stop details about his health status from getting out.”