President Bola Tinubu has returned to the country after his weeks of annual leave in the United Kingdom.
Tinubu arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Saturday evening after his “working leave”.
“The eagle has landed,” presidential aide Dada Olusegun wrote on his X account. “Welcome home, Mr President.”
The eagle has landed. Welcome home Mr President
— Daddy D.O (@DOlusegun) October 19, 2024
President Tinubu was welcomed by a team of government officials, the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Abdullahi Ganduje; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; his Chief of State Femi Gbajabiamila; the National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu among others.
The two-week working leave is part of his annual leave.
Tinubu left Nigeria for the United Kingdom on October 2, a trip the presidency described as a working leave and a time of reflection about his administration since taking over the reins of leadership in May 2023.
But about ten days later, President Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters Kabir Masari said his principal had left the UK for France.
On October 16, Vice President Kashim Shettima also left the country for Sweden where he went on a two-day visit to represent Nigeria in bilateral engagements with the European nation.
That move raised concerns among Nigerians with key political leaders like the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections Peter Obi faulting Tinubu and Shettima’s absence.
“While it is arguable that with the President and Vice President absence from the Villa, there is no vacancy in the presidency, in a situation where both the President and Vice President are out of the country, as reported in the media yesterday, it’s concerning for a country with such myriads of domestic problems,” Obi wrote on his X handle.
Despite the discontent over their absence, the Presidency insisted that there was no vacuum in leadership.
“It is important to note that the President and Vice President are fully engaged with the nation’s affairs, even while they are away,” presidential aide Bayo Onanuga said in his defence of the duo’s absence. “There is no leadership vacuum in the country.”