Femi Otubanjo, a Research Professor at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, has attributed President Bola Tinubu’s decision to limit his campaign activities ahead of the 2027 general elections to the challenges associated with old age.
Otubanjo said it was understandable if Tinubu lacked the physical strength to campaign across the country, adding that ageing could affect a person’s strength.
He made the remarks while fielding questions on Arise Morning Show on Thursday.
The professor said he was not convinced by Tinubu’s reported explanation that he wanted to concentrate on the business of governance rather than campaigning across the 36 states.
“Let’s not deceive ourselves. I’m not happy about the reason the President gave: ‘I want to face the business of state duties’. That’s not convincing. Everybody knows that…” he said.
Otubanjo, however, argued that the president’s age could affect his ability to undertake extensive campaign activities.
“What’s wrong with if the president is not sufficiently strong to go to everywhere?
“He has the problem of old age. Everybody loses some strength in old age. And then you have what you call the weaknesses of illnesses,” he added.
The professor also referred to reports that Tinubu underwent knee surgery several years ago, although he did not provide further details.
The comments come amid discussions over Tinubu’s campaign strategy ahead of the 2027 presidential election and whether he needs to visit all 36 states to canvass for votes.
