Going by the statement from Tinubu Media Office, the cause is a
previous sports injury, which at the moment became aggravated as a
result of rigorous political and family related activities.According to the statement, “Based on previous sports injury on one of his knees and recent further aggravation on the knee from rigorous political and family related activities, he has been advised by his doctors, despite his persistent reluctance, that orthopedic surgery is necessary at this time.”
The acclaimed political godfather of Lagos State politics was said to have had a hectic schedule of late in connection with political activities that culminated in the successful merger and registration of Nigeria’s three major opposition parties now known as APC.
This, it was gathered, was exacerbated by the further pressure he underwent when his mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, died
The surgery, Saturday Independent, gathered has been done and “Jagaban,” as he is fondly called by admirers, is expected to resume normal political activities and public engagements soon, after he is cleared by his doctors.
Political watchers as well as stakeholders of the party in the South-West seem to agree that with the Jagaban’s absence, there is a lull in political activities in the new party.
Saturday Independent gathered from a reliable source that the party is in search of another personality that could provide a rallying point like Tinubu, in case his absence continues.
Following the development, it was gathered that efforts are being made to draft Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, to assume the leadership of the party in the zone in an acting capacity, pending the return of Tinubu.
Some critics say the building of the party around the personality of Asiwaju Tinubu was not good for the future of the party because each time he is away there always seems to be political inactivity in the party.
Also, the worry among some stakeholders is borne out of the fear that if not given adequate exposure, people might begin to see the new party as an unserious group, thereby robbing it of the required goodwill and patronage that most Nigerians are poised to provide.
There are some stakeholders of the party that are of the opinion that Tinubu may not return as soon as his campaign office has claimed.
A source that would not want to be named simply said: “The man is not likely to return as soon as we are made to believe. There is the need to look for someone that will hold the fort for him and sustain the fire. What we see is that each time the man is away, a certain level of inactivity or political lull creeps in. It is high time we stopped shying away from reality but rather face it.”
Lagos State Chairman of APC, Chief Henry Ajomale, told Saturday Independent that those who think that Tinubu would not be back soon would be disappointed.
While disclosing that the former state governor is hale and hearty and would be back soon, he said he was not aware of any pressure on Aregbesola to stand in for Tinubu as a deputy national leader.
Ajomale said there was no reason for such call “since the party has leaders that can hold the fort” in the absence of Tinubu.
He said: “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is as strong as a horse and he has no problem as I speak with you now. All these things they are saying that he is seriously ill is very much untrue. The truth is that he has a problem with his knee but it has been rectified, it has been corrected and everything is okay, so he walks like any other person now. As we speak now, he is as strong as any other person and I know that very soon you will see him and you will know that there is practically nothing wrong with him. Of course, naturally, as the national leader of the party you will feel his absence if he is away but political activities are still on.
“About the leadership, there is nothing like that; I mean pressure on any individual to act as his deputy. Honestly, the leadership of the party is in the hands of party leaders. Papa Akande is there; he is the national chairman. He was the national chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now interim chairman of APC. Where will Baba Akande and others be, when you are saying that Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, will be national leader or deputy national leader?
“He is a leader by virtue of his position as a governor so he is one of the leaders of the party. He is the governor of a state and even if he has no say in other places he has a say in his state, so he is a leader. By God’s grace at the end of this month, Asiwaju will be back.”
One of Tinubu’s political sons and Chairman, Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Jide Jimoh, said there is no cause for alarm over the Jagaban’s state of health.
He disclosed that he has visited his political godfather, and that he is recovering fast and “even walks without crutches.”
Political watchers agree that Tinubu has over the years grown himself into a political colossus that can no longer be ignored in South-West politics.
This is because he is believed to have the needed arsenal to make impact in politics. Aside from the fact that he has intimidating financial muscles to prosecute any political crusade he engages himself in, he also has the print and electronic media to do so.
Those close to him have attested to the fact that he is a giver with a large heart and compassion for the poor.
“The man (Tinubu) is super rich and he is not tightfisted in giving. He has all it takes to prosecute any political battle and, above all, he has built a very strong political network that is loyal to him. He has worked himself into the heart of the South-West and he has become a rallying point. He has the political strength to face any political opponent and he is a courageous politician that can dare. There is no doubt that his absence will always be felt,’’ Adewale Bankole, a public affairs analyst, told Naijah for real.
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