BARRING any last-minute changes, the President-elect, Mr Bola Tinubu is expected to return to the country on Monday (today) after a 34-day absence from Nigeria.
Tinubu had March 21 travelled out of the country, in what his campaign council said was meant for him to rest and plan ahead of his inauguration on May 29.
A statement by the recently dissolved All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council in March noted that Tinubu travelled to France to rest and plan his transition programme after an exhaustive campaign and election season.
“The president-elect had left the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja,” the statement noted.
“The president-elect decided to take a break after the hectic campaign and election season to rest in Paris and London, preparatory to going to Saudi Arabia for Umrah (Lesser Hajj) and the Ramadan Fasting.”
The planned arrival of the former Lagos State governor was confirmed on Monday by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga.
Taking to his Twitter handle, Onanuga stated that the President-elect has been on vacation in France.
It was gathered that Tinubu whose plane is billed to land at the presidential wing of the Abuja Airport will be escorted from the airport by a carnival-like motorcade to the Defence House.
“Nigeria’s President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu returns to Abuja today after weeks of a well-deserved vacation in France. E kaabo! Se dada le de!” he tweeted.
The House of Representatives member representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, James Faleke, in a statement on Sunday in which he identified himself as “Organiser”, invited supporters of the President-elect to welcome him in Abuja.
“My dear brothers and sisters of this unique family. I wish to inform and request of us all that anyone in Abuja and Nasarawa is invited to join in receiving our Peoples President and First Lady Elect tomorrow by 2pm at the Presidential wing of the International Airport.
“Departure Time:2pm; Departure Venue: The Campaign Office; Accreditation time: 12pm. Buses will be provided. Only Accredited persons will be allowed at the Airport for security reasons,” he said.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling APC is preparing to meet with the President-elect to avert a repeat of the 2015 situation that produced Senator Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker, respectively.
Both had emerged as National Assembly leaders, contrary the wishes of the APC leadership.