New Nigeria Peoples Party’s presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso has advised presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress Bola Tinubu to take the campaign season easy and focus on his failing health instead.

‘If you see my friend Bola Tinubu, tell him to take it easy, and to take good care of his health. Because I love him so much,” Mr Kwankwaso said in an interview with Arise TV on Sunday night. “This campaign is very rigorous and requires a lot of effort. So I hope he can take it easy so we can continue to build one solid and prosperous Nigeria.”

The former Kano governor described Mr Tinubu as a good man, and said he would “recommend” him for the top job if he cannot get it. But said Mr Tinubu may not do much differently from President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Kwankwaso’s call for Mr Tinubu to attend to his health comes a few months after Peoples Gazette published a video revealing Mr Tinubu soaked from behind, while his security aide covered his nose; a development that would insinuate that Mr Tinubu was battling a health condition.

Mr Tinubu, 70, however, dismissed criticisms about his frail health, saying being a Nigerian president requires mental dexterity rather than physical strength.

Mr Tinubu, who travelled recently to France on what was speculated as a medical trip, announced Kashim Shettima as his running mate on Sunday afternoon, solidifying a Muslim-Muslim ticket that has elicited outrage from political opponents and Christian groups.