Reno Omokri, Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua, has disputed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s assertion that President Bola Tinubu is 90 years old.
In a statement released on Friday, Omokri also urged journalist and publisher Dele Momodu to verify a photograph he claims was taken with Tinubu in London in 1996.
This development arose following Atiku’s interview with the BBC, where the 2027 African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate alleged Tinubu was 90 years old, stating he had evidence to substantiate this claim in court.
Atiku remarked, “I have a president who is 90 years old now, and who is sick, while I am healthy and strong, so why wouldn’t I offer my services to my fellow countrymen?”
When questioned about the claim, as Tinubu was not yet 90, Atiku replied, “I have evidence that he is, and I will present it in court.”
Omokri Reveals 1996 Photograph
Addressing the allegations, Omokri circulated a photograph said to depict Tinubu and Momodu together in London in 1996.
Omokri argues that the photograph casts doubt on Atiku’s claims about the President’s age.
“This is a photo of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Dele Momodu taken in London in 1996,” Omokri remarked.
“If Asiwaju is indeed 90 years old, as has been suggested, then Dele Momodu must be in his eighties.”
Omokri challenged Momodu to verify the photograph’s authenticity, date, and location, suggesting that such confirmation could add context to the ongoing debate regarding Tinubu’s age.
This exchange has intensified the political debate over the age and fitness of Nigeria’s leading political figures as the 2027 general elections approach.
Atiku’s claim remains an allegation, while Omokri’s argument based on the photograph does not conclusively establish the President’s actual date of birth.
