President Bola Tinubu is hale and hearty and has been on an official working vacation, according to a statement defending his absence from Abuja and the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The statement said Tinubu was entitled to his annual vacation and, in the digital age, did not need to be physically present in Abuja to discharge his responsibilities as President.
According to the statement, Tinubu has continued to work while away from Nigeria, including holding meetings with investors in France.
It also said the President had recently facilitated a $7 billion deep-sea port project in Ogun Waterside, an initiative of the Ogun State Government.
The statement noted that other African leaders, including South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, were also absent from the 2026 United Nations General Assembly in New York.
It said Ramaphosa had booked himself off public engagements, while Tinubu had announced his annual vacation and delegated Nigeria’s representation at the UNGA to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The statement also criticised former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for questioning Tinubu’s whereabouts in a post on X.
It added that Tinubu was expected to return to Nigeria this week to participate in activities marking the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
According to the statement, the President will also honour the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola by attending the premiere of a movie about the late businessman and democracy advocate in Lagos.
