What Nigerians probably didn’t know about Silk cigarettes Tinubu ‘can’t do without’

Former SGF Babachir Lawal has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is addicted to Silk cigarettes, a claim the Presidency dismissed as gossip, while details about the British cigarette brand have resurfaced.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is addicted to smoking Silk cigarettes, claiming the president “can’t do without” the brand. Lawal made the remarks during an interview with Symfoni TV, where he also questioned the president’s health and fitness for another term in office. According to him, Tinubu’s health challenges are already in the public domain, adding that the president should focus on his wellbeing. “The only thing I know he likes much is cigarettes, Silk. He smokes. I don’t know whether he does it now. He likes that a lot. He can’t do without it,” Lawal said. He further argued that advancing age and declining health could affect leadership performance, while also claiming the president frequently travels to France. The report also noted that Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi had previously expressed concerns about Tinubu’s health.

Responding to the allegations, the Presidency declined to comment on the smoking claim. Presidential spokesman Daniel Bwala told Peoples Gazette that the administration would not engage with what it described as speculation. “We don’t respond to gossips,” Bwala said. The report, published by Peoples Gazette, also highlighted key facts about Silk Cut, the cigarette brand Lawal identified as Tinubu’s alleged favourite.

What to know about Tinubu’s alleged favourite cigarette

• Silk Cut itself carries an ominous warning that “smoking seriously harms you and others around you.”
• A standard pack of 20 Silk Cut cigarettes costs about £19.75.
• Silk Cut is a British brand of low-tar-content cigarettes introduced into the market in 1964.
• Low-tar cigarettes do not use different ingredients from high-tar cigarettes, and there is no tar-free tobacco despite marketing claims associated with low-tar products.
• Silk Cut is owned and manufactured by the Gallaher Group, a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco.
• The cigarette comes in white packaging with the brand name displayed on purple, blue, green, red and silver labels.
• Silk Cut became the best-selling cigarette brand in the United Kingdom during the 1990s.