Tinubu, His Health and Presidential Bid: Allow Nigerians to Decide – by Frank Ofili

Not that I have any candidate for 2023 Presidential election. I am neither Obedient, Atikulated nor Batified.

Indeed, I shall not vote in the forth-coming presidential election. My preferred candidate for the office of President was Professor Yemi Osinbajo, but since he did not make the APC Presidential primary election, I have since moved on.

I will abstain from voting in the coming Presidential election because none of the current gladiators is appealing enough for me for the office. I will however, support whoever majority of Nigerians choose as President. I am on record for stating so on this platform.

So, what I am about to say here is neither in support, nor in defence, of any particular candidate. I am just stating the fact as I see it.

Having said that, let me now aver that leadership recruitment at the topmost level does not lie so much on physical ability or fitness. Though that is important, it is not the overriding criterion unless the job role under consideration requires physical exertion of energy.

At the level of governance, all that is required of the leader are track record, mental acuity, sharpness, foresight, intuition, vision, emotional intelligence, firmness, supervisory and coordinating ability among others. Physical fitness is not of overwhelming importance.

A President of a country need not be a Mighty Igor or an Arnold Schwerzenegger, although he is expected to be healthy enough to perform the job role.

Is Ashiwaju healthy enough to perform the duties of a President of Nigeria? I think so, after all, according to him, he is not going to perform the job of a bricklayer.

Former President of the United States of America, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was confined to a wheelchair when he prosecuted World War II. Winston Churchill of Britain suffered perennial bouts of pneumonia and bipolar disorder. On occasions, he was thought to be depressed and schizophrenic when he led Britain.

These two leaders went on to muster and supervise the European coalition that defeated Hitler in World War II. Indeed, they turned out to be two of the greatest world leaders ever.

I think Ashiwaju is healthy enough to perform the duties and responsibilities of the office of the President of Nigeria. Those who are mocking and taunting him on health ground have not learnt any lessons. He may even be healthier than they are.

Beyond that, to ask a man who is capable, and willing to contribute his quota to national development not to do so, is akin to circumscribing his rights under the 1999 Constitution as amended. Such is not the attribute of true democrats.

Let Nigerians decide. I rise.