President Bola Tinubu has returned to the country after his weeks of annual leave in the UK.
The aircraft carrying Tinubu taxied into 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.”
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.
‘Well-rested, ready to go’
Gbajabiamila said now that his principal is back, Tinubu’s government will focus on fine-tuning its policies.
“The kind of work he’s been doing in the last year and a half requires some rest and he’s gone on his back now and he’s well arrested, rejuvenated,” the former lawmaker said.
“Again, it was even just a working holiday anyway. So, he was working and resting at the same time. Now that he’s back in Nigeria, all hands are back on deck and he’s ready to go.”
He said, “Nigerians will begin to see the fruits of his labour and our labour. And so, I mean, just let’s be we all expect expectant and hopeful and we live in Renewed Hope and Mr President is back in Nigeria to continue the good work he’s doing.”
The two-week working leave is part of his annual leave.
Tinubu left the country for the United Kingdom on October 2 in what 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.
Nigerians raise concern
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.
‘No leadership vacuum’
Despite the discontent over their absence, the presidency said 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.”
