President Bola Tinubu returned to Nigeria on Tuesday evening after a four-week working vacation in Europe, telling reporters he was in good health and dismissing weeks of public speculation over his extended absence and its constitutional implications.
The presidential aircraft landed at the presidential wing of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at about 6:22 p.m. Speaking to journalists on arrival, Tinubu said he was “healthy, sound, and ready to go,” and rejected concerns that had circulated among Nigerians, including some of his own supporters, about his wellbeing during the trip.
Tinubu left Abuja on August 30 for what the presidency described as a three-week working vacation, spending roughly a week in London before relocating to Paris, where he held a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron and met business leaders including Vincent Bolloré. His return date was pushed back twice, first from the original three-week window and then from an initial weekend arrival, extending the trip to four weeks and drawing sustained criticism from opposition figures over his absence from domestic governance and from the United Nations General Assembly, where Vice President Kashim Shettima delivered Nigeria’s national address on his behalf.
The extended trip also triggered a legal challenge from the African Action Congress, which has sued Tinubu and the National Assembly, arguing he failed to notify the legislature before departing and questioning whether constitutional succession procedures should have been activated once his absence passed 21 days. The party’s suit asks the Federal High Court to rule on both issues; the case remains pending. Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga had maintained throughout the trip that Tinubu stayed in contact with officials and continued directing government affairs from abroad, characterizing the visit as a working vacation rather than ordinary leave.
Opposition figures, including New Democratic Congress candidate Peter Obi, had criticized the president for vacationing abroad rather than within Nigeria, citing the country’s economic and security challenges. Tinubu is expected to remain in Lagos for events marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary on October 1, including a film premiere honoring the late politician MKO Abiola, before returning to Abuja for further engagements.
