Tinubu, Aides Not Happy With Pictures Of APC National Leader With Walking Stick Released By Buhari

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, and his close aides are not happy with the pictures released by the Presidency showing the former Lagos State Governor with a walking stick when President Muhammadu Buhari visited him in London, United Kingdom (UK).

Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad posted some photos on Facebook on Thursday and captioned them, “President Muhammadu Buhari this evening in London, the United Kingdom, visited Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

In the photos, Tinubu was seen leaning on a walking stick as he posed for shots with the President.

“Tinubu and his people are not happy that President Buhari brought NTA (Nigerian Television Authority- government-owned station) and others to visit him,” a source told SaharaReporters.

“When Lagos governor, (Babajide) Sanwo-Olu and (Abiodun) Faleke (federal lawmaker) visited him, nothing revealed he had surgery or was sick. But the way Buhari had his photo ops handled by the Villa was not what he (Tinubu) bargained for.

“They felt betrayed that such pictures showing him with a walking stick would be released. Note that all the pictures were released by the Presidency.”

On Monday it was reported that Tinubu underwent second knee surgery at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, US.

The APC chieftain, it had been learnt, left the US for the United Kingdom on crutches, a few days after the surgery.

Again on June 15, it was reported that Tinubu was also in Paris, battling with some old age ailment.

Earlier, the President’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, had tried to downplay the obvious rift between the two leaders and their camps, saying the interview the President granted to Arise Interview where he mentioned Lagos was not about Tinubu.

“You cannot sit there in Lagos, for instance, and decide on the fate of APC on zoning,” Buhari had said while responding to a question during the interview.

“The hope of this administration is to see APC last beyond it. Therefore, we should allow the party to decide. The restructuring of the party has begun from the bottom to the top with the membership card registration. Every member of the party must be involved. We will soon conduct our convention. No single member of the party will be allowed to go against the wish of the party.”

Shehu had maintained that there was no rift between the two leaders and that the reference to Lagos had nothing to do with Tinubu.