Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide, has contested the assertion made by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar that President Bola Tinubu is ninety years old by presenting a purportedly 1996 photo.
On Friday, Omokri posted the image of Tinubu with journalist and publisher Dele Momodu on his X page. He claimed that Momodu could verify the date and location of the photo.
The intervention came after Atiku, the 2027 African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, asserted in an interview that Tinubu was ninety years old and claimed to have proof in court.
Atiku made the claim while defending his choice to run for president in spite of age-related worries.
“I have evidence that he is [90], and I will present it in court,” Atiku said during the BBC Hausa interview.
Reacting, Omokri argued that the photograph raised questions about the age claim.
“If Asiwaju is indeed ninety years of age, then he would have been sixty when this photo was taken exactly thirty years ago.”
“Does His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, look like a sixty-year-old in this photo?”
“Dele Momodu is alive to testify to the authenticity of this photograph and the date and place where it was taken.”
“But to age-shame people with ages that are not even theirs is to reduce the discussion about who governs Nigeria to an unbecoming level.”
In Nigerian politics, it is often said that the past is never truly buried, as opponents are quick to dig up old photos, statements, and controversies to tarnish each other’s reputation. This relentless pursuit of political victory sometimes overshadows the present and the future, showcasing a landscape where personal history is weaponized in the battle for power. Ultimately, it reflects the complex and often ruthless nature of political rivalry in Nigeria.
