Article highlights
- Tinubu is expected back to the country via Abuja airport today.
- He has been out of the country since March 21, with visits to France and then Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj.
- His aides said that he travel out of the country to take a well-deserved rest after the presidential campaigns.
Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is expected to return back to the country today (Monday, April 24) after several weeks of being away and ahead of the May 29 inauguration.
Tinubu’s return back to Nigeria was confirmed by the Director of Media and Publicity, All Progressive Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Bayo Onanuga, through a tweet post on his official Twitter account, on Monday, April 24, 2023.
What the Media aide is saying
Onanuga in the tweet post said that Tinubu is returning back to Abuja after weeks of well-deserved vacation in France.
- His tweet post reads, ‘’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!’’
According to reports, 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.
What you should know
- Bola Tinubu had been out of the country for several weeks, first visiting France before briefly heading to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj.
- The president-elect had jetted out of Nigeria to France on March 21, a trip his campaign council said was meant for him to take a rest and plan ahead of his inauguration on May 29.
- The trip had elicited speculation and controversy about the state of his health, with some reports alleging that he has been seriously sick.
- A statement by the APC presidential campaign council in March noted that Tinubu travelled to France to rest and plan his transition programme after a very exhaustive campaign and election season.
- It stated, “The president-elect had left the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja. According to the statement, 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.’’
- While away on this trip, Tinubu was also alleged to have held a secret meeting with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Olukayode Ariwoola, in the UK, an allegation that the APC PCC and the Supreme Court vehemently denied.
- Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) had dissolved its presidential campaign council.