Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is 90 years old, saying he has evidence to support the allegation and will present it in court.
Atiku made the claim in a recent interview with the BBC while responding to questions about his age and his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The former vice-president, who will be approaching 80 by the 2027 election, argued that age should not prevent him from seeking the presidency, pointing to what he described as the President’s age and health.
Atiku said, “I have a president who is 90 years old now, and who is sick. I am healthy; I am strong. So why would I not make my services available to my fellow countrymen?” He added that he had evidence to support the claim and would present it in court.
However, Atiku did not present the alleged evidence during the interview.
Publicly available official records state that Tinubu was born on March 29, 1952, which would make him 74 years old in 2026. The State House also marked his 74th birthday in March.
The age of the President has previously been the subject of public debate, particularly over discrepancies in some historical documents. Records linked to Tinubu’s education at Chicago State University have, in the past, contained different dates of birth. However, those dates would still place him in his early 70s in 2026 and do not establish that he is 90.
Atiku’s latest claim has therefore not been independently verified. Fact-checking reports reviewed after his interview found no credible public evidence establishing that Tinubu is 90 years old. The claim remains an allegation pending the production and independent examination of the evidence Atiku says he possesses.
The controversy comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with Atiku seeking to return to the presidency after several previous attempts.
Defending his candidacy, Atiku said his political experience, competence and patriotism remained relevant to his decision to offer himself for public service.
He also used the interview to criticise the Tinubu administration’s handling of the economy and insecurity, while outlining some of the measures he said he would pursue if elected president.
The Presidency had not, at the time of the reports reviewed, released an official response to Atiku’s claim about Tinubu’s age.
