Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has claimed that President Bola Tinubu is 90 years old and said he has documentary evidence to support the allegation in court, despite the official record putting the President at 74.
Atiku made the claim in an interview with the BBC while defending his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election despite several previous attempts.
“We have a president who is 90 years old now and who is sick, and I am healthy; I am strong, so why would I not make my services available to my fellow countrymen?” Atiku said.
The interviewer challenged the assertion; he noted that Tinubu is not yet 90 and that the BBC could neither confirm nor deny the President’s age.
Atiku responded that he had records to substantiate his position.
“I have evidence and records that he is, and I will present it in court,” he said.
The claim conflicts with the Nigerian government’s official record. The State House said Tinubu marked his 74th birthday on 29 March 2026, meaning the President’s officially stated year of birth is 1952.
READ RELATED NEWS UPDATES
Atiku, who is seeking the presidency in 2027 on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), also defended his decision to continue pursuing the office after several unsuccessful attempts.
He said his political career had involved repeated setbacks, including alleged disqualifications during the transition to civilian rule and an incident that forced him into exile.
“I have never found anything easy in my life. There is nothing new there. So because I’m contesting the presidency two or three times, I mean, that’s not anything unusual in my political life,” he said.
Asked why Nigerians should consider him for the presidency, Atiku pointed to his health, experience and constitutional right to contest.
“I am strong. I am healthy. I am agile. Why do you bother about my constitutional rights?” he said.
He also cited what he described as Nigeria’s deteriorating condition as a reason for seeking the presidency again, saying he had the “experience”, “competence” and “patriotism” needed to serve the country.
On insecurity, Atiku attributed the worsening situation to what he called government irresponsibility and inadequate investment in national defence.
He said Nigeria’s security agencies were undermanned and lacked sufficient equipment, comparing the country’s personnel levels with those of Egypt.
Atiku said he believed substantial progress could be achieved within his first year in office if elected.
“I believe within one year, they should be able to see that, and believe me, within one year, we can control this insurgency and insecurity that is all over the place,” he said.
Atiku has contested Nigeria’s presidency several times since 1993, including under the Action Congress (AC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and All Progressives Congress (APC). His latest attempt was in 2023, when he contested on the PDP platform and lost to Tinubu.
The age allegation now adds another sharp point of contention to an increasingly competitive political contest ahead of the 2027 election, with Atiku maintaining that his evidence will ultimately be tested in court.
