Shaibu issued the challenge on Monday, October 26, 2026, during a live broadcast of RBN’s The Morning Edition, questioning the level of public admiration for the President.
He argued that a leader who enjoys genuine popularity and widespread public affection should inspire citizens to name their children after him as a demonstration of appreciation and loyalty.
“Any Nigerian who has named his child Tinubu should come out; he will get five million naira from me,” Shaibu declared.
He further challenged parents to provide their children’s birth certificates as evidence that they had named a child Tinubu between May 29, 2023, when the President assumed office, and the present.
According to him, the offer was open to anyone who could produce verifiable documentation establishing that their child was named after the President within the specified period.
“It is impossible. Tell your social media team to put out the challenge. Anybody who can produce a birth certificate proving that since Tinubu came to power, between May 29, 2023, till date, he or she gave birth to a child and named the child Tinubu, I will give the person five million naira,” he added.
The challenge appears to be a political jab at the Tinubu administration, with Shaibu using the proposed financial reward to question the President’s popularity and public acceptance.
Shaibu is a prominent media aide to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general election, and has frequently criticised the policies and performance of the Tinubu administration.
The latest remarks come amid increasing political exchanges between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition figures as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Shaibu did not indicate whether the ₦5 million offer would be subject to any additional conditions beyond presenting verifiable evidence of a child’s birth and naming within the stated period.
