Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has waded into the controversy over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s age, questioning claims that the Nigerian leader is 90 years old.
Omokri made the assertion in a post on his Facebook page while sharing an old photograph of Tinubu with journalist and publisher, Dele Momodu, reportedly taken in London in 1996.
According to him, if Tinubu were 90 years old as recently alleged, he would have been 60 when the photograph was taken 30 years ago.
Omokri urged Nigerians to examine the photograph and determine whether Tinubu appeared to be 60 at the time.
He wrote: “Does His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, look like a sixty-year-old in this photo?”
The former presidential aide also referenced the late Fuji musician, Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, who was born in 1948, saying the musician had referred to Tinubu as his “Aburo”, meaning younger brother, in one of his songs.
Omokri said Tinubu and Momodu were also seen dancing to the song, arguing that the reference raised further questions about the claim that Tinubu is 90 years old.
He further appealed to Momodu, whom he said had previously acknowledged Tinubu’s support during his exile from the administration of former military ruler Sani Abacha, to speak against what he described as “age-shaming.”
Omokri stressed that Momodu was free to support any political candidate of his choice but questioned whether he should remain silent while Tinubu was being described as a nonagenarian allegedly suffering from ill health.
He called for political discourse ahead of the 2027 elections to focus on issues affecting Nigerians rather than what he described as unsubstantiated claims about candidates’ ages.
Omokri said political debates should centre on ideas and solutions to the country’s challenges, rather than personal attacks and allegations about age.
