Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is best fit for Nigeria’s top job in 2023, says campaign spokesman Festus Keyamo.

Mr Keyamo appeared on Channels Television on Wednesday to address Mr Tinubu’s now-viral “proof of life” video.

“In my own Twitter post on it, I said we are not trying to prove anything to anybody. Our candidate is not struggling to prove himself to anybody,” Mr Keyamo said. “People who are close to him, they know that he’s an avid cyclist; he does that all the time. It’s his routine.”

Mr Keyamo’s comments come after Mr Tinubu, in the short video released on Twitter on Sunday, was seen riding a stationary bike.

The video, which was also posted on Mr Tinubu’s verified Twitter handle, was captioned: “Many have said I have died; others claim I have withdrawn from the presidential campaign. Well… Nope. This is the reality: I am strong, I am healthy, and I am READY to serve Nigerians from Day One.”

On Friday, the Director Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed in a statement shared on his Facebook page that Mr Tinubu was healthy in London, United Kingdom.

The APC candidate has been absent at three key events leading to the 2023 presidential elections, notably absent at the signing of the Peace Accord by all the presidential candidates and party leaders, further fuelling speculations of his ill health. His running mate, Kashim Shettima, instead represented Mr Tinubu.

The former Lagos governor has, however, emphasised that it is “unnecessary” for him to be physically fit to rule Nigeria, stressing that he was seeking to be president because he has the necessary mental alertness to govern a diverse and developing nation like Nigeria.