PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has postponed his return to Nigeria following a last-minute change to his travel plans.
News Point Nigeria reports that Tinubu was initially expected back in the country this weekend, but his itinerary has now been revised, with his return likely to take place on Tuesday. The reason for the latest change was not immediately known as of Sunday morning.
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Sources in the presidency had earlier told this newspaper that the president would return to Nigeria on Sunday after spending several weeks in Europe on a working vacation.
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 the president is no longer expected to arrive as initially planned, with his return now likely to take place on Tuesday.
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 and businessman Vincent Bolloré.
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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.
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.
The latest adjustment to Tinubu’s scheduled return comes amid questions over the length of his absence from the country.
His extended stay abroad has triggered a constitutional debate, with some opposition figures questioning whether presidential powers ought to have been formally transferred to Shettima after 21 days.
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Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution provides that the president shall transmit a written declaration to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives when proceeding on vacation, after which the vice-president performs the functions of the president in an acting capacity.
On Tuesday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said there was no vacancy in Aso Rock, adding that Tinubu remained in charge of the country’s affairs despite his absence from Nigeria.
