Former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is unwell and managing health challenges, while also claiming that Senate President Godswill Akpabio is “practically dying.”
Sowore made the claims on Sunday while reacting to Tinubu’s sudden departure from Nigeria to Europe.
President Tinubu, who had spent the Christmas and New Year holidays in Lagos, left the country on Sunday. According to a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the president is travelling ahead of an official visit to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Onanuga explained that Tinubu is expected to participate in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit at the invitation of UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
However, Sowore disputed the official narrative in a post on X, alleging that the trip was health-related.
“Nigeria’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu is unwell just managing himself, reason he’s abruptly flown to ‘Europe’ today,” Sowore wrote. “@Senator_Akpabio is practically dying. Why is Nigeria governed by sick people?”
He added that while there is nothing wrong with being ill, it is “callous to use a country as health insurance for sick leaders.”
As of the time of reporting, the presidency has not responded directly to Sowore’s claims.


