The Presidency has dismissed concerns over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s prolonged absence from Nigeria, saying the President is “hale and hearty” and has continued to perform his official responsibilities while on a working vacation in Europe.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the clarification in a statement posted on his official X account on September 27, following questions raised by former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi over Tinubu’s whereabouts and absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Onanuga argued that Tinubu was entitled to take his annual vacation and did not need to be physically present in Abuja to continue governing in an era of digital communication.
“President Tinubu is hale and hearty,” Onanuga said, adding that the President had been on a working vacation and remained engaged with matters concerning the country.
According to the presidential aide, Tinubu’s engagements in France demonstrated that the trip had included official business, rather than being solely a private holiday.
The Presidency particularly pointed to Tinubu’s participation in investment discussions in Paris, including the September 24 signing of agreements involving the Ogun State Government, DP World and partners for the proposed Gateway Deep Seaport and Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone.
The State House said the proposed Ogun Waterside port is designed with a four-kilometre berth and an 18-metre draft, while the wider project is expected to attract an initial investment of more than $7 billion and create more than 50,000 direct jobs when fully developed.
Onanuga also cited Tinubu’s meeting with French businessman Vincent Bolloré as another example of the President’s activities during the trip. The State House said discussions focused on expanding investments in Nigeria’s creative and digital economy, including film, entertainment and fibre-optic infrastructure.
Addressing criticism over Tinubu’s absence from the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Onanuga noted that the Nigerian President was not the only African leader who did not attend the gathering in person.
He referenced the absence of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, while arguing that Nigeria had made alternative arrangements for representation.
Tinubu had earlier delegated Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him at the 81st UN General Assembly, while the Presidency maintained that the President remained in contact with officials and continued directing government affairs from abroad.
The Presidency's position comes amid public and political debate over Tinubu's extended stay outside Nigeria, particularly after his absence from the UNGA generated questions from opposition figures, including Peter Obi.
Onanuga directly criticised Obi's question about the President's whereabouts, describing it as unnecessary given the Presidency's previous announcements concerning Tinubu's vacation.
The Presidency has also confirmed that Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria on Tuesday, September 29, following an adjustment to his earlier return schedule.
Reports quoting Onanuga said the President will arrive in Lagos, where he is expected to participate in activities marking Nigeria's 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1 before subsequently returning to Abuja.
He is also expected to attend the premiere of a documentary on the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola at the National Theatre in Lagos.
Tinubu initially left Nigeria on August 30 for a three-week annual vacation, with London as his first destination. The Presidency later announced that the working vacation had been extended by several days.
The latest clarification therefore places the President's return at roughly four weeks after his departure from Nigeria.
The dispute over the President's absence, however, remains part of a wider political debate, with the Presidency maintaining that Tinubu has remained actively engaged in governance while opposition figures have questioned the political and constitutional implications of his prolonged absence from the country.
For now, the Presidency says Tinubu remains in charge and is expected back in Nigeria ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.
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