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The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has questioned President Bola Tinubu’s health following a verbal slip during the inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 general election.
Tinubu reportedly referred to himself as “Governor Bola Tinubu” while speaking at the event in Abuja on Wednesday, prompting reactions on social media.
Addressing party leaders and members at the inauguration, the President said: “Distinguished leaders of our party, all the party members, presidential campaign council, I’ve seen my friend here that I must thank. And next will be the recognition of the director general of the presidential campaign council that will bring Governor Bola Tinubu back for second time.”
A video of the remark circulated widely on social media on Wednesday.
Reacting on Thursday, Paul Ibe, media aide to Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), argued that the incident raised questions beyond an ordinary verbal mistake.
In a Facebook post, Ibe linked the incident to concerns about the President’s health and called for greater transparency regarding the health of the nation’s leader ahead of the 2027 general election.
“When President Bola Tinubu was addressed simply as ‘Bola,’ he and his supporters were outraged, as though calling a man by his own name amounted to an act of disrespect,” Ibe wrote.
“Now, the President reportedly refers to himself as ‘Governor,’ a position he left more than 23 years ago,” he added.
Ibe dismissed suggestions that the remark was merely a gaffe, arguing that questions about presidential health and transparency should not be treated as taboo.
“Some have dismissed it as a mere gaffe. I don’t think it is a gaffe. It is much deeper than that. This is the reason why questions about presidential health and transparency should not be treated as taboo,” he said.
“If calling Tinubu ‘Bola’ was considered disrespectful, what should Nigerians make of his reportedly calling himself ‘Governor’? It should be troubling,” Ibe added.
The comments come as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general election.
