Dele Alake: Those questioning Tinubu’s identity haven’t presented evidence

Dele Alake, director of strategic communication in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council, says those questioning the identity of Bola Tinubu, the party’s standard bearer, have not presented evidence.

Alake spoke on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television.

Over the past few weeks, renewed controversy on the names and family background of Tinubu has dominated the Nigerian social media space.

Reacting to the controversy, Alake said those questioning the APC presidential candidate’s official names have failed to produce “documentary evidence” to back up their claim.

The former commissioner said the family background of Tinubu does not affect his quality of thinking.

“Let me tell you point blank — his name, as far as I know — is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. If anybody else has another name that I’m not aware of and has proof of that name, let the person come forward,” he said.

“Since 1999, so many issues have been raised concerning his origin, name and all of that.

“Some names have been blow out and put in the public domain but nobody has come to prove or show any evidence of those names being his biological names or some people being his parents outside of those he said are his parents.

“If you must allege, you must proof. You can’t just allege and assume that everybody is uncritical in thinking and will take it hook line and sinker.

“If Bola Tinubu is not his name, what is his name? How do you now show us document evidence that this is the names that Bola Tinubu was given at birth and not Bola Tinubu?

“As long as, you can’t come out with that and nobody, since 1999, 23 years ago, has come up with any contrary evidence that his name is not Bola Tinubu. What did you expect me to say to that? But to dismiss it.

“Some say he is not a Lagosians, that he is from Iragbiji in Osun and Osogbo. How does that affect the quality of the man’s brain?”