TD Speculation over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s health has intensified following an unverified claim by current events analyst, Mike Arnold, that the President’s health has allegedly deteriorated severely while he remains in France.
Arnold said the information came from a source he considered trustworthy but expressly acknowledged that it had not been verified.
He claimed Tinubu was “near death” and challenged the President to appear publicly to disprove the allegation.
There is currently no publicly available independent medical evidence establishing that Tinubu is terminally ill or near death.
The Presidency, meanwhile, has repeatedly rejected suggestions that the President is hospitalised or incapacitated.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said Tinubu was “hale and hearty”, describing his stay in France as a working vacation during which he continued to direct government affairs remotely.
Arnold posted:
“I have received a bit of insider information… Tinubu is still in France because his health has cratered and he is near death.”
He added:
“If this is not true, Tinubu must come out of the shadows immediately to prove otherwise. Continued reclusion is a tell.”
Confidential Source Raises Aircraft-Related Health Claim
Adding another dimension to the speculation, a source who told This Dawn News they were close to the Presidency, claimed last week that Tinubu’s choice of aircraft during the European trip may be connected to his alleged health condition.
The source, who spoke to This Dawn in confidence, said:
“I heard on good authority that he’s too sick to climb up the new presidential plane and thus had to resort to smaller aircraft.
“The fact is that he didn’t buy a regular private jet for the presidential fleet.
“He bought what is essentially a massive commercial jet reconfigured as a private jet.”
The claim was made following This Dawn News’ September 22 report, “Where Is Tinubu’s Presidential Jet? Citizen Questions Use of Private Aircraft for European Trip Despite the Presidential Jet Purchased in 2024”.
The report examined questions raised over the aircraft reportedly being used by Tinubu during his current European trip.
However, the source’s claim about Tinubu being too ill to board the presidential aircraft has not been independently verified.
It should therefore be treated as an allegation rather than evidence of the President’s medical condition.
Questions Over Tinubu’s Presidential Aircraft
The aircraft issue has nevertheless generated legitimate questions.
Nigeria reportedly acquired an Airbus A330 presidential aircraft in 2024 to replace the older Boeing 737-700 Business Jet.
The Presidency has described the A330 as part of the Presidential Air Fleet, while reports have placed its acquisition cost at approximately $100 million.
The aircraft was configured with VIP facilities, including a bedroom, office, conference room, dining area and secure communications facilities.
This Dawn News’ report contained photographs showing Tinubu travelling on a smaller private aircraft during his current European trip.
However, the Presidency had not publicly identified the aircraft used for the journey in its statements reviewed at the time.
The existence of a smaller aircraft, itself, does not establish that Tinubu was unable to board the A330 because of his health.
What the Presidency Has Confirmed
The Presidency announced on September 21 that Tinubu had extended his working vacation by several days after travelling from Nigeria to London on August 30 and subsequently moving to Paris.
According to the official statement, Tinubu met French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré in Paris.
He continued communicating with officials in Nigeria while abroad, according to the Presidency.
The Presidency also said that he would return to Nigeria at the weekend but failed to do so.
His failure to return according to the initially announced schedule subsequently generated renewed questions.
This has prompted the Presidency to issue further assurances about his health and expected return.
On September 28, Onanuga again described the President as “hale and hearty.”
What Remains Unverified
The latest allegations therefore involve two separate claims that should not be conflated.
The first is Mike Arnold’s claim that Tinubu is seriously ill and allegedly near death.
The second is the confidential source’s assertion that the President was allegedly too sick to board the newly acquired presidential aircraft and therefore used a smaller plane.
Neither claim has been independently established.
There is also no public medical report confirming that Tinubu is suffering from a life-threatening illness.
The Presidency, meanwhile, has not indicated that the choice of aircraft was dictated by the President’s health.
The aircraft question, however, remains independently relevant.
This Dawn News previously reported that the Presidency had not publicly explained which aircraft Tinubu was using for the European journey.
It has also not explained why it was selected instead of the presidential A330.
Until the Presidency provides further clarification, claims about Tinubu’s alleged medical condition and the reason for his reported use of a smaller aircraft remain on the top burner.
The President’s eventual return and any public appearance may provide an opportunity for clarifications.
The Presidency could address the continuing questions surrounding his health, travel arrangements and extended stay in France.
What is established — and what remains unverified
At present, the following points can be established from public reporting:
- Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for a working vacation.
- He travelled from London to Paris.
- The Presidency announced an extension of his stay.
- His absence from Nigeria has generated political and constitutional debate.
- The Presidency says he is “hale and hearty.”
- The Presidency has said he continued working while abroad.
- Reports indicated that his return was expected around September 29.
- Mike Arnold has published an explicitly unverified claim that Tinubu is seriously ill and near death.
- No independent medical evidence establishing Arnold’s claim has been publicly presented.
Consequently, the claim that Tinubu is dying has yet to be established as fact.
The Presidency is expected return to address continuing questions surrounding his health, whereabouts and extended stay in France.
