Again Tinubu is absent and Shettima is in charge! -By Azuka Onwuka

Campaign kicked off yesterday, Wednesday, September 28. Peter Obi was hosted by the Middle Belt in Jos with his running mate. Atiku unveiled his books in Abuja and unveiled his campaign team. Tinubu was conspicuously absent. His people gathered in Abuja but the planned unveiling of his campaign team was cancelled and postponed again …. this time, INDEFINITELY.

There have been speculations that his ill health is the reason for his absence.

Sahara Reporters published inter alia: ‘The former Lagos governor was expected to see his doctors at a Central London Clinic on Monday.

‘ “Our principal, Tinubu is sick and tired. He is expected to see his doctors in London today at a Central London Clinic,” a source had told SaharaReporters.” ‘

But his campaign team sent out the underground message that Tinubu travelled to London to meet with “unnamed groups” – at a time he has critical assignments at home!

Today, September 29, the presidential candidates gathered in Abuja to sign the peace pact, Tinubu is absent. He is represented again by Shettima, his running-mate. It is becoming obvious that Shettima is the one on the APC ticket.

After what illness did to Nigeria because of Yar’Adua and Buhari, I never believed that some Nigerians would close their eyes and ears and mind in support of the presidential ambition of someone who has a clear health challenge.

You see a man who cannot hold a flag a bottle of water or turn the pages of his speech or climb stairs without help or even move around in a lively way, yet some people are busy with the spin that he only has a knee surgery or that he travelled overseas for “political consultations”, as if knee surgery affects the hands or speech.

I wish him well. It is not a crime to have a health problem. It can happen to anyone.

But if it is Parkinson’s disease that he has, as the manifest symptoms show through the tremors in his hands, stiffness of his muscles and regular falls, sadly, it is not curable. It just gets worse by the day.

To all those who are aware of Tinubu’s health challenge but continue to urge him on instead of advising him to take care of his health, let the spin continue, let the “packaging” continue. let the lies continue.