Activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is receiving medical treatment in France, contradicting the Presidency’s position that the President is on a working vacation.
Sowore made the allegation during an interview with Arise Television on Monday, September 28, 2026, saying information from what he described as “reliable sources” indicated that Tinubu was undergoing treatment in France. He said he did not know the specific ailment allegedly being treated.
Sowore also questioned the Presidency’s account of Tinubu’s prolonged stay in Europe, alleging that some of the President’s appearances had been staged to conceal his health condition. He compared the situation with the handling of the health crises involving former Presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Muhammadu Buhari.
The allegation has not been independently verified. Sowore did not present medical records or other publicly verifiable evidence during the interview to establish that Tinubu is hospitalised or receiving treatment.
The Presidency has rejected the claim, maintaining that Tinubu is well and has continued to perform official duties while abroad.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said on Sunday, September 27, that Tinubu was “hale and hearty” and on a working vacation. Onanuga said the President had continued working from France, including meetings with investors.
The State House had announced on August 30 that Tinubu was leaving Nigeria for a three-week annual vacation, with London as his first destination. The Presidency subsequently said on September 21 that the working vacation had been extended by a few days.
According to the State House, Tinubu moved from London to Paris after about a week and held official engagements there, including a meeting with French businessman Vincent Bolloré on September 18 to discuss investments in Nigeria’s creative and digital economy.
The President’s extended stay abroad has generated wider political debate. Opposition figures have questioned his absence from Nigeria and his decision not to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, where Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria.
Tinubu was expected to return to Lagos on Tuesday, September 29, after the four-week working vacation, according to Arise Television, which cited Presidency sources. The report said he was expected to attend official engagements in Lagos before returning to Abuja the following weekend.
As of September 29, 2026, there is no independent public evidence confirming Sowore’s allegation that Tinubu is hospitalised or receiving medical treatment in France. The Presidency continues to maintain that the President is in good health and has been carrying out official duties while abroad.
