A political controversy has flared on Nigerian social media over images of President Bola Tinubu appearing to doze during public events, sparked by criticism from the All Progressives Congress (APC) against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The debate began after Ajibola Basiru, APC National Secretary, shared a viral photo from an opposition summit in Ibadan, Oyo State, where Atiku was seen asleep. Basiru posted on 𝕏: “And the opposition leader slept at the all-important opposition summit,” prompting widespread mockery from APC supporters. The summit, attended by key opposition figures like Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Abdulfatah Ahmed, was part of strategic consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Social media users quickly responded, with some ridiculing Atiku. Ojewande Taiwo wrote, “This is the man that wants to rescue Nigeria! It’s better he rescues himself,” while Tunde Obasemola added, “So shall the election be lost and won while in slumber.” However, the backlash soon turned into a broader critique of double standards, as critics pointed out similar images of President Tinubu in similar situations. Users began circulating older and recent photos showing Tinubu appearing to sleep during official meetings and public events, questioning why such images were not previously used against him.
SarkinEnigma commented, “APC Bois and their leaders will try to mock others but they will end up embarrassing themselves… We have seen so many pictures of Tinubu sleeping in very important internal meetings and no one used it against him.” J.K Law bluntly stated, “Atiku, Tinubu na the same thing,” while Lorenzo II Magnifico called the situation “pot calling kettle black.” Others questioned the relevance of the issue, with Oladimeji writing, “Look at what you are reporting?… how does this news help the nation?” Imam Abdulhamid linked the debate to governance, saying, “Mock someone for sleeping, but your own principal keeps falling just like our economy.”
The conversation also took a humorous turn, with users like @pacinoproper joking, “Basiru, how are you? Seems Tinuburu is still asleep,” and @PrinceZankuli asking, “Have you ever accused our sleeping president? 🙄” Some even drew comparisons to controversial figures, with @Seanquality1 noting, “He’s even the best friend of Emilokun, that’s why we don’t want emilokun or him, they shares everything in common.” @RealBenzy128777 challenged the narrative, asking, “How is that a problem. Do you know how times Tinubu slept in an event?”
The incident has highlighted growing public scrutiny of political leaders’ conduct and the use of social media as a battleground for political messaging. As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, such debates are likely to intensify, shaping public perception and influencing voter sentiment across party lines.
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