Checks by SaharaReporters showed that Tinubu, who is being tipped for the 2023 presidential race to succeed Muhammadu Buhari, has spent over two months and will spend more across Europe as he continues to recuperate.
The National leader of the All Progressives Congress, and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, has spent over 60 days in 2021 alone, patronising hospitals in France, United States and the United Kingdom where he underwent several surgeries over undisclosed ailments.
Checks by SaharaReporters showed that Tinubu, who is being tipped for the 2023 presidential race to succeed Muhammadu Buhari, has spent over two months and will spend more across Europe as he continues to recuperate.
Tinubu was flown out of the country some days to Christmas in 2020 to Paris, France.
There were speculations that he tested positive for COVID-19 but his media aide, Tunde Rahman, later denied such reports.
The APC leader returned to Nigeria on January 24, 2021, after a month absence from Nigeria.
He also went for a medical check-up on Thursday, June 10 to France and was conspicuously absent from the one-day working visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos State.
"Tinubu is in Paris, France for a medical checkup. His health is deteriorating due to old age," a top source had told SaharaReporters.
Tinubu, amidst death rumours, was forced to return to the country on Tuesday, June 15.
SaharaReporters also reported that Tinubu was hospitalised in Maryland, the United States in July 2021.
It was gathered that Tinubu, who has had several medical trips this year alone, had a surgery and could be billed for another one over a yet-to-be-disclosed illness.
“Tinubu is hospitalised in Maryland, US. His health is failing. He couldn’t participate in launching his Arewa library, and he couldn’t participate in the Local Government Area elections last week. He could not attend today’s APC congress due to health reasons.
“He had a surgery last week,” an authoritative source had disclosed at the time.
On August 9, Tinubu had another knee surgery at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, the United States.
The APC chieftain, it was learnt, left the US for the United Kingdom on crutches, a few days after the surgery.
Sources close to Tinubu had told SaharaReporters that he wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan over rumours of his death.
“Tinubu had his second surgery at John Hopkins University in Maryland recently. He was accompanied by a popular Nigerian doctor in Chicago. He had wanted the surgery in Paris but when rumour was rife about his death, he hurriedly left for Nigeria and went to John Hopkins,” one of the sources had said.
"He left the US for the UK on crutches," another source had revealed.
Of recent, the President paid a visit to Tinubu in London and the latter was seen with a walking stick during Buhari’s visit, confirming SaharaReporters’ story that he underwent a second surgery in the United States.
Till date, Tinubu is yet to return to Nigeria as he continues to battle ill-health.
This is despite the push for his 2023 presidential ambition by certain bodies such as South West Agenda for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (SWAGA 23).
Though the former Lagos state governor has not openly declared his intention to run for president in 2023, it is an open secret that he intends to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu currently tows the path of President Buhari, who himself has spent more than 200 days on medical leave in the United Kingdom since he assumed office in 2015.