Presidency: Tinubu to Return This Weekend After Extending Working Leave

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended his working vacation by a few days and is now expected to return to Nigeria this weekend, the Presidency announced on Monday. The update was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the extension would allow the President conclude scheduled engagements before returning home.

According to the Presidency, Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for London, where he began his working vacation before travelling to Paris, France. During his stay in Paris, the President held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré, whose business interests include Canal+, MultiChoice and Universal Music Group, as part of engagements focused on strengthening international partnerships and investment opportunities.

The Presidency maintained that the extension has not interrupted governance, insisting that Tinubu has continued to direct the affairs of the nation while abroad. Officials said the President has remained in constant communication with senior government officials, receiving security briefings and making key administrative decisions throughout the vacation.

As evidence of his continued involvement, the statement cited Tinubu’s directive for the establishment of an independent panel to investigate the deaths of 37 illegal miners in Minna following their detention by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The Presidency said the order was among several decisions taken by the President during his working leave, underscoring that executive responsibilities have continued uninterrupted.

While Tinubu has been away, Vice President Kashim Shettima has represented Nigeria at a number of official engagements, including the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where he is expected to deliver Nigeria’s national statement during the General Debate. At the same time, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has continued representing the President at selected domestic official functions.

The Presidency also used the statement to respond to criticism over Tinubu’s absence from the UN General Assembly. It described comments by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a United States-based lobbying firm regarding the President’s non-attendance as “irresponsible,” dismissing the allegations as baseless while reaffirming that Nigeria continues to be represented at the summit through the Vice President.

On the political front, the Presidency disclosed that the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abubakar Yari, has been leading consultations with prominent traditional rulers alongside other party leaders during the President’s absence. Although details of the consultations were not disclosed, the engagements are understood to form part of ongoing political and stakeholder outreach.

Tinubu’s working vacation began on August 30, and the Presidency says his return this weekend will bring to a close nearly a month of official engagements conducted from abroad. The episode reflects the increasingly digital nature of executive leadership, while also highlighting the growing public demand for transparency whenever the nation’s highest office is exercised outside Nigeria.