President Bola Tinubu has added a few more days to his ongoing working vacation and is now expected back in Nigeria this weekend.
The President left Nigeria on August 30 and initially travelled to London, where he spent about a week before proceeding to Paris, France. During his stay in Paris, Tinubu held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré, whose business interests include Canal+, Multichoice and Universal Music Group.
Although he has been outside the country, Tinubu has remained involved in the running of the government and continued issuing directives on matters at home. Among them was his order for an independent panel to investigate the de@ths of 37 illegal miners in Minna after they were detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The President had assigned Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him at several official engagements during his absence. However, Shettima travelled to New York on September 20 for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where he is representing Tinubu and is scheduled to deliver Nigeria’s national statement.
With Shettima now attending the UN meeting, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, will continue to stand in for the President at official functions.
Meanwhile, Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council, Abubakar Yari, has been leading other senior members of the ruling party in consultations with prominent traditional rulers across the country.
The Presidency, through Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also reacted to criticism over Tinubu’s absence from the UN General Assembly. It “described the baseless insinuation by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a United States-based lobbying firm about President Tinubu’s non-attendance at UNGA as irresponsible.”
The statement added: “Vice President Shettima, who is representing the President at the global conference, will present Nigeria’s national statement”
