Peoples Democratic Party chieftain and Convener of The Alternative Movement, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has dismissed concerns about President Bola Tinubu’s health, saying the President is healthy and capable of serving beyond 2027.
Showunmi made the remarks on Thursday during a grassroots engagement in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, where he was also canvassing support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
His comments came amid renewed political discussion over Tinubu’s health, particularly following the President’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York in September. Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the high-level session.
Responding to claims that Tinubu had been on a medical vacation and could be unfit to seek another term, Showunmi said the President had already addressed questions surrounding his health.
He argued that Tinubu’s appearance after returning to Nigeria from his extended working vacation in Europe was evidence, in his view, that the health concerns being circulated were unfounded.
“The president is in good health. The president is a sound mind,” Showunmi said, according to PUNCH.
The PDP chieftain also questioned why Tinubu’s absence from the UN gathering should automatically be interpreted as a health issue. He argued that Nigeria remained represented at the international event because the Vice President attended in his capacity as the President’s representative.
Showunmi further defended Tinubu’s decision to remain focused on domestic engagements rather than travel to New York for the General Assembly. He pointed to investments and economic engagements undertaken during the President’s working vacation as matters he believed deserved attention.
The remarks followed Tinubu’s return to Nigeria after an extended working vacation in the United Kingdom and France. On his arrival in Lagos on Tuesday, September 29, Tinubu himself dismissed concerns about his health, telling journalists that he was “healthy, sound, and ready to go.”
The President had departed Abuja on August 30 and spent time in London before travelling to Paris. According to the Presidency, his European engagements included meetings with business leaders and other activities connected to investment and economic development.
Tinubu’s absence from the 2026 UN General Assembly had nevertheless become a subject of political debate. While the Presidency said his absence was not caused by any restriction on his ability to travel, critics and political commentators raised questions about the reason for his non-attendance.
Showunmi rejected the interpretation that the President’s absence from New York demonstrated ill health. He maintained that the Presidency should be viewed as a single institution and that the Vice President’s representation was sufficient for Nigeria’s participation at the UN gathering.
The development comes as political activities surrounding the 2027 presidential election continue to intensify. Showunmi, despite being a PDP chieftain, has publicly been campaigning for support for Tinubu, making his comments particularly notable within the opposition political space.
The discussion over Tinubu’s health is likely to remain part of the political conversation as the 2027 election approaches. For now, Showunmi’s position is that the President is healthy and capable of continuing in office beyond 2027, while Tinubu himself has also publicly rejected concerns about his health.
