Segun Showunmi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State and convener of The Alternative Movement, declared on Thursday that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains healthy and fit to continue leading Nigeria beyond 2027.
Showunmi spoke during a town hall meeting in Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State. He addressed supporters as part of his efforts to rally backing for the president’s re-election.
Showunmi dismissed allegations that the president had returned from a medical vacation. Instead, he described the recent absence as a working vacation. During that period, he said, critical investments were secured. These included a $700 billion gas investment for the country and a $17 billion seaport project for Ogun State.
He pointed to the president’s appearance on arrival. “The way you saw him bouncing as he came off the plane, does that look like someone who was unwell?” Showunmi asked. He added that Tinubu had himself described health concerns as political rumours.
Showunmi stressed that the presidency functions as one unit. Wherever the vice president acts in a representative role, he said, it equals the president’s presence. Nigeria was therefore properly represented at the United Nations General Assembly.
He questioned the value of prioritising photo opportunities over tangible gains. “Should he have left a $700 billion investment in gas in this country so that I can sit down and be taking pictures with some people in the United Nations? Or should he have left the $17 billion investment in a seaport for our Ogun State?” Showunmi stated.
Showunmi urged Nigerians to reject continuous self-hate and the search for bad news. “The President is in good health. The President is in sound mind,” he said. He warned against listening to naysayers who celebrate challenges rather than progress.
He further encouraged residents of Ogun State to maximise their nearly three million registered voters. The state, he said, should deliver strong turnout in support of the president in 2027.
