By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Presidency has insisted that President Bola Tinubu can govern Nigeria from anywhere, dismissing concerns over his prolonged stay abroad after exhausting his official three-week vacation.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the assertion in a statement issued on Sunday, 28 September, 2026, responding to criticisms trailing the President’s continued absence from the country.
Nigerians, including opposition figures, had expressed concern and demanded information on Tinubu’s whereabouts after he failed to return as expected the previous week.
Onanuga maintained that the President remained “hale and hearty” and did not need to be physically present in Abuja to carry out his constitutional duties.
“Nigeria’s President is hale and hearty. He has been on a working vacation, which he is perfectly entitled to. In this digital age, he does not need to be physically present in Abuja to do the work for which he was elected in 2023,” he said.
The presidential aide further cited the President’s engagements while away as evidence that he remained active in office, disclosing that Tinubu had met with investors in France and facilitated a $7 billion deep-sea port project in Ogun Waterside, an initiative of the Ogun State Government.
“And we have seen that he has indeed been working, meeting investors in France, most recently facilitating a $7 billion deep-sea port in Ogun Waterside, an initiative of the Ogun State Government,” he said.
