THE Presidency has confirmed the News Point Nigeria story on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s delayed return to Nigeria, saying the President is hale and hearty and remains engaged in official duties while on a working vacation outside the country.
News Point Nigeria reports that Tinubu has postponed his return to Nigeria following a last-minute change to his travel plans, with the President now expected to return to Lagos on Tuesday after spending several weeks in Europe on a working vacation.
Read also: Presidency Faults Makinde Over ₦250bn NLNG Dividends Claim, Says Allegation Is False
The latest development follows growing concerns over the President’s prolonged absence from the country. Tinubu was initially expected back in Nigeria this weekend after the Presidency had earlier announced that his three-week working vacation had been extended by a few days.
Sources in the Presidency had earlier told this News Point Nigeria that the President would return to Nigeria on Sunday. He was expected to arrive in Lagos, where he would remain for up to a week before proceeding to Abuja, the nation’s capital.
However, the latest adjustment means Tinubu is no longer expected to arrive as initially planned, with his return now likely to take place on Tuesday. The reason for the latest change was not immediately known as of Sunday morning.
Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for London, where he began what the Presidency described as a three-week working vacation as part of his annual leave.
After spending about a week in the United Kingdom, the President travelled to Paris, France, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, businessman Vincent Bolloré and other investors and business figures.
On September 21, the Presidency announced that Tinubu had extended his stay abroad by a few days and would return to Nigeria at the weekend.
The Presidency said the President had remained in touch with government officials at home and continued to direct the affairs of government while away, including issuing directives on matters requiring presidential attention.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima had also been representing the President at certain official functions during his absence.
Shettima, however, travelled to New York on September 20 to represent Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where he was scheduled to deliver Nigeria’s national statement.
The latest adjustment to Tinubu’s scheduled return comes amid questions over the length of his absence from the country, with the extended stay triggering a constitutional debate.
Some opposition figures have questioned whether presidential powers ought to have been formally transferred to Shettima after 21 days, given the President’s prolonged absence from the country.
Many Nigerians, especially opposition figures, have also demanded information on Tinubu’s whereabouts amid growing public discussion over his continued stay abroad.
Reacting to the controversy in a statement late on Sunday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu did not need to be physically present in Abuja to perform his duties, stressing that the President had continued working while abroad.
Onanuga said the President had been on a working vacation, which he described as one he was perfectly entitled to, adding that the digital age had made it unnecessary for him to be physically present in Abuja to discharge the responsibilities for which he was elected in 2023.
“Nigeria’s President is hale and hearty. He has been on a working vacation, which he is perfectly entitled to. In this digital age, he does not need to be physically present in Abuja to do the work for which he was elected in 2023.”
“And we have seen that he has indeed been working, meeting investors in France, most recently facilitating a $7 billion deep-sea port in Ogun Waterside, an initiative of the Ogun State Government.”
Read also: Why Dangote Refinery Still Lacks Crude Despite Tinubu’s Naira-For-Crude Policy – Presidency
The Ogun State Government and DP World recently signed agreements in Paris for the development of the Gateway Deep Seaport and the Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, with the projects expected to attract more than $7 billion in initial investment. President Tinubu witnessed the signing.
On the President’s absence from the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Onanuga said Tinubu was not the only African leader who did not attend the gathering.
“Two other important African leaders were not in New York for the UNGA: South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and Egypt’s Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
“Ramaphosa booked himself off public engagements. Johannesburg and Pretoria made no uproar over Ramaphosa’s absence at UNGA. And Egypt did not erupt that Sisi did not go to New York.
“The Nigerian President announced he was taking his annual vacation and delegated attendance to his able and dependable Vice President. Yet Peter Obi pretends to be unaware of President Tinubu’s whereabouts and asks the puerile question his followers are asking on X.”
The Presidency had earlier announced that Shettima would represent Tinubu at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.
Onanuga further said the President’s continued absence should not be interpreted as an indication that he had disengaged from his official responsibilities, insisting that Tinubu had remained in contact with officials at home and continued to direct the affairs of the nation.
The Presidency’s clarification comes after weeks of public attention surrounding Tinubu’s stay abroad and the uncertainty over his return schedule.
Tinubu is now expected to return to Nigeria Tuesday this week and participate in activities marking the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
Onanuga had said the President would return home to mark the anniversary and honour the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola by attending the premiere of a movie produced in Abiola’s memory in Lagos.
With the latest adjustment to his travel plans, Tinubu is now expected to arrive in Lagos on Tuesday, where he is expected to remain for some days before proceeding to Abuja.
See below the links to News Point Nigeria’s stories on President Tinubu’s return to Lagos on Tuesday:
Tinubu’s Return Delayed Again After Last-Minute Travel Change, Expected Tuesday
Tinubu Returns To Lagos On Sunday After Extended European Working Vacation
Read also: Tinubu Makes History As First Nigerian President In 66 Years To Receive UN Budget
