•Tinubu and APM logo
The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has called on the Presidency to address public concerns surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health and his ongoing three-week leave in Europe.
In a statement issued today in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, the party said Nigerians deserved clear and official information about the president’s health, itinerary, entourage and official engagements while abroad.
The APM said the president’s decision to embark on an extended leave at a time the country is grappling with economic hardship and security challenges had heightened public apprehension, reports Daily Independent.
The party also linked the concerns to what it described as unresolved questions surrounding alleged references to Tinubu in documents reportedly connected to a drug-related case before United States authorities.
According to the party, while illness and human frailty are part of the human condition, the Presidency should not hesitate to reassure Nigerians about the President’s wellbeing and capacity to discharge his constitutional responsibilities.
“Nothing is wrong in the Presidency clearing the air on the state of health of Mr President as obtainable in other climes,” the statement said.
The APM, however, used the opportunity to criticise the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, describing its performance over the past three years as disappointing.
It alleged that policies including the removal of the petrol subsidy and proposed tax reforms had worsened economic hardship for millions of Nigerians and placed additional pressure on households and businesses.
The party further raised concerns over Nigeria’s rising debt profile, putting the country’s indebtedness at about N159.28 trillion, and questioned the impact of the borrowings on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
On security, the APM accused the administration of failing to adequately address the country’s insecurity, alleging that thousands of Nigerians had been killed or abducted since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
The party urged the president to use his current leave as an opportunity to reflect on his administration’s record and reconsider his reported ambition to seek re-election in 2027.
It argued that the demands of the presidency at a time of significant economic and security challenges required a younger leader with the energy and capacity to respond effectively to contemporary governance challenges.
The APM said Nigeria needed a president who could connect with the realities facing citizens and provide energetic leadership, rather than one it described as overwhelmed by the demands of the office.
The party subsequently urged Tinubu to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and support its presidential candidate, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
According to the APM, Makinde has demonstrated leadership capacity through his administration of Oyo State, particularly in the areas of economic development and governance.
The party claimed that Oyo State had recorded significant economic growth under Makinde and argued that his experience could be replicated at the national level.
The APM said Nigerians deserved a leadership that would prioritise economic prosperity, security and effective governance, urging the Presidency to provide clarification on the concerns surrounding the president’s health and extended absence.
