There are strong indications that the health of former governor of Lagos state and chieftain of APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu may have deteriorated.

The APC strongman has been away to the United States for what is officially declared as knee surgery for over seven weeks, but sources inside the party say it is suspected that Tinubu has other health issues other than knee problem.

Five weeks ago, Tinubu’s media aide, Sunday Dare issued a statement saying the former governor underwent a knee surgery in the USA and that explained his absence in public in recent times. “Based on previous sports injury on one of his knees and recent further aggravation on the knee from rigorous political and family related activities, he has been advised by his doctors, despite his persistent reluctance, that orthopaedic surgery is necessary at this time,” his media aide said.

However, despite these assurances, there seem to be heightened anxiety recently that all may not be well with the godfather of South-West politics as he is said to be afflicted with what is believed to be Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease according to medical experts is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects your movement. It develops gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. But while tremor may be the most well-known sign of Parkinson’s disease, the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowness of movement.

In early stages of Parkinson’s disease, your face may show little or no expression, or your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson’s disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time. Parkinson’s disease cannot be cured, medications may markedly improve symptoms.

Tinubu has been absent in public functions in recent times and was conspicuously absent in a recent APC leaders meeting held in Abuja. This has further fueled speculations amongst APC hierarchy that the Asiwaju may not be in the best of health. Insiders explain that the many fictionalisations of the newly formed APC in the south-west, where Tinubu’s word is law are indications that his protégés have already started planning life after him.

For instance, the lingering crisis in Oyo and Ogun state chapters of the party, insiders say would have been unthinkable if the governors and chieftains of the party in the states know that their leader (Tinubu) would be home soon.

Sources say that in the last couple of years, especially from 2011, Tinubu has been put under strict medical observation and where any health complications are observed, he would be advised to seek medical attention abroad. For instance, in one of his recent trips to Saudi Arabia for hajj, he was said to have used that opportunity to go for medical checkup.

However, with the onset of the alleged Parkinson’s disease, intermittent visits to hospitals was no longer enough and this explains why he was advised to go for proper and long medical treatment.

The fear of Tinubu’s admirers also stems from the fact that recently, one Prophet Chris Okafor, General Overseer of Mountain of Liberation And Miracle Ministry, who claimed to have predicted the death of the mother of the first lady recently predicted that the APC leader may not see May 29, 2015.

Tinubu’s media office have repeatedly described the rumoured serious ill-health of their leader as the “wicked figment” of the imagination of Tinubu’s political opponents insisting that “Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu enjoys good health” saying that since after the knee surgery, his recovery rate has been amazing without any post-operation complications.

As at the time of writing this report, his whereabouts was still unconfirmed as some sources said he had left the USA for the United Kingdom to commence what is described as “his second phase of post-operation routine,” while another source said he was still in a hospital in the USA.