Tinubu Departs Paris, Heads to Lagos After European Working Vacation

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has departed Paris, France, for Nigeria after concluding his working vacation in Europe, with his aircraft expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday.

The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this in a statement, saying Tinubu would first arrive in Lagos, where he was expected to attend a number of engagements before returning to Abuja.

According to the Presidency, the President’s decision to return through Lagos was partly to honour the memory of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, whose political legacy is associated with Nigeria’s democratic struggle.

It said Tinubu was expected to attend the premiere of a movie commemorating Abiola at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary on Oct. 1.

The Presidency also said the President was expected to hold meetings with political leaders and associates in Lagos in the coming days, before returning to Abuja after completing the engagements.

Tinubu left Abuja on Aug. 30 for a working vacation in Europe, initially travelling to London before proceeding to Paris, where his stay was later extended by a few days.

During his stay in Paris, the President held engagements with French President Emmanuel Macron at a private dinner, as well as with Vincent Bolloré of the Bolloré Group and businessman Femi Otedola.

The Presidency said Tinubu and Bolloré discussed opportunities for expanding investment in Nigeria’s creative and digital economy, while the President also participated in discussions on a proposed deep seaport and blue economy project in Ogun State.

It said the Ogun State Government and DP World had signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the development of the Gateway Deep Seaport in Ogun Waterside and the creation of a Blue Marine Economic Zone, with the proposed project expected to attract about $7 billion in investment.

Tinubu’s return comes shortly after the African Action Congress filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja challenging aspects of his prolonged absence from the country.

The suit, filed on Sept. 28 by the party’s National Legal Adviser, Mr Inibehe Effiong, seeks interpretation of Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution on whether the President was required to transmit a written declaration to the National Assembly before proceeding on an extended vacation outside Nigeria.

The AAC also challenged what it described as the failure of the National Assembly to authorise Vice-President Kashim Shettima to act as President after Tinubu’s absence exceeded 21 days.

The Presidency has maintained that Tinubu remained in charge of government throughout his working vacation, with Onanuga previously saying that modern communication technology enabled the President to continue performing his official responsibilities while outside Abuja.

Meanwhile, Shettima has returned to Nigeria after representing Tinubu at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he delivered Nigeria’s national statement and participated in engagements on development financing, climate support, global economic cooperation and other issues.