By Opeyemi Adelakun
Reno Omokri, Ambassador-designate of Nigeria to Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, has challenged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s claim that President Bola Tinubu is 90 years old.
Omokri, in a statement on Friday, also called on journalist and publisher Dele Momodu to confirm the authenticity of a photograph purportedly taken with Tinubu in London in 1996.
His reaction followed an interview in which Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 election, claimed that Tinubu was 90 and insisted that he had evidence to support the allegation.
Atiku also alleged that the President was ill, while maintaining that he remained healthy and capable of contesting for the presidency.
When the BBC interviewer questioned the claim about Tinubu’s age, Atiku maintained that he possessed evidence and official records which he could present in court.
Responding, Omokri shared a photograph which he said showed Tinubu and Momodu together in London in 1996.
He argued that the photograph raised questions about the claim that Tinubu was 90 in 2026.
According to Omokri, if the President were 90, he would have been 60 years old when the photograph was allegedly taken three decades ago.
He therefore asked Nigerians to examine the image and consider whether Tinubu appeared to be 60 at the time.
Omokri also challenged Momodu to publicly confirm when and where the photograph was taken and whether it was genuine.
He further referred to Momodu’s previous accounts of Tinubu’s support for him during his exile under the military regime of the late Sani Abacha.
Omokri said Momodu had the right to support any political candidate ahead of the 2027 election but questioned whether he should remain silent over allegations concerning someone he had previously described as a friend and benefactor.
The ambassador-designate also criticised the growing focus on the ages of political candidates.
He argued that the 2027 election should be centred on issues affecting Nigerians, including insecurity, economic hardship and governance, rather than personal attacks over age.
Omokri said reducing political debate to claims about the ages of candidates would lower the quality of the electoral conversation.
According to Tinubu’s publicly stated date of birth, he was born on March 29, 1952, making him 74 years old in 2026.
The President has previously faced questions concerning his age and academic records but has consistently maintained the personal details contained in his official records.
Meanwhile, Atiku has defended his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election despite concerns about his age.
The former vice president said he remained physically fit and constitutionally entitled to seek the presidency.
He also cited his experience, competence and patriotism as reasons for his continued ambition to lead Nigeria.
Atiku further criticised the Federal Government over insecurity, arguing that inadequate manpower and equipment had weakened the country’s security response.
He pledged that, if elected president in 2027, his administration would work to significantly address insurgency and insecurity within its first year in office.
Leave a Reply