Bola Tinubu has posted a new photo that suggested he was alive and well in London. The problem, however, is that the photo included the January 23, 2022, edition of The Nation newspaper.

Mr Tinubu travelled to London two weeks ago and has yet to return to Nigeria, despite being the ruling party presidential candidate for the upcoming general election. His stay abroad has forced his party to repeatedly postpone launching its presidential campaign.

Mr Tinubu did not say why he has been abroad, but speculation has been rife in the media that it was linked to medical treatment. The former Lagos governor has shown several instances of ill health in recent months, including being soaked in what appeared to be his urine while on the campaign trail. He has also repeatedly fumbled while walking or speaking in public.

Last week Mr Tinubu posted a video that showed him cycling in a gym. It was, however, unclear when the footage was taken.

Mr Tinubu attempted to make a similar insinuation before Nigerians on Thursday morning with the circulation of a photo that showed him working from a table with the caption ‘staying focused’ on his Instagram page. But the newspaper Mr Tinubu was reading in the photo was the January 23, 2022 edition of The Nation, one of the media organisations he acquired with proceeds of his mindless looting of Lagos treasury. 

A spokesman for Mr Tinubu’s campaign did not immediately return a request seeking comments about why Mr Tinubu shared a falsified image apparently targeted at deceiving Nigerians. But the development could further intensify concerns that the presidential candidate might be seriously ill in London and his media team needed a cover to allay concerns back home.