By Jemimah Wellington, JKNewsMedia Reporter
PRESIDENT BOLA Tinubu is expected to arrive back in Nigeria today following a 19-day “working visit” to Europe, a trip that drew heavy criticism from opposition leaders as insecurity escalated across parts of the country.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the return in a post shared on his X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, writing simply, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will return home today.”
Tinubu departed Abuja on 2 April for Paris, with the Presidency describing the journey as a two-week working visit intended to “appraise his administration’s mid-term performance and assess key milestones.”
He later travelled to London before his expected return on 21 April.
During his absence, deadly attacks and abductions surged across regions including Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, and Borno states. Over 150 Nigerians were reportedly killed, prompting fierce backlash from opposition figures.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi openly challenged Tinubu’s extended stay abroad, questioning the timing amid deteriorating security conditions at home.
Obi, citing rising fatalities, urged Tinubu to “suspend whatever he is doing in France and rush home to take responsibility.”
Atiku, who has consistently criticised Tinubu’s travel patterns, posted on social media that “as Nigeria bleeds, the President stays away,” adding that the country “needs hands-on leadership now more than ever.”
Last Thursday, Onanuga released a statement insisting that the President had remained actively engaged in governance throughout his stay overseas.
“The President left Paris for London at the weekend and has maintained constant communication with key government officials, overseeing critical national matters,” the statement read.
The Presidency said Tinubu issued “directives to security chiefs to address emerging threats in some parts of the country,” reiterating that his “commitment to his duties remains unwavering.”
Onanuga described the President’s time abroad as “temporary” and “in line with the communicated timeframe,” pointing out that governance continued without interruption.
Amid speculation over the impact of Tinubu’s absence, the All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed claims of a leadership vacuum.
Bala Ibrahim, APC’s Publicity Director, said, “Simply because the President is out of the country does not mean he is not piloting the affairs of the nation.”
He added that Vice President Kashim Shettima had continued to represent Tinubu in key matters, ensuring the continuity of leadership.
“You cannot say that a country where the Vice President is actively representing the President is in a vacuum,” Ibrahim said. “A country with that level of leadership engagement is not leaderless.”
