Tinubu hale and hearty, can work from anywhere — Presidency

The Presidency has dismissed concerns over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s absence from Nigeria, saying the President is hale and hearty and continues to discharge his official responsibilities while on a working vacation abroad.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made this known in a post on his X account on Sunday.

Onanuga said Tinubu did not need to be physically present in Abuja to perform his duties, particularly in an era of digital communication.

“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.

According to the presidential aide, Tinubu had remained engaged in official activities during the vacation, including meetings with investors in France.

He also said the President recently facilitated a $7 billion deep-sea port project in Ogun Waterside, an initiative of the Ogun State Government.

Onanuga further defended Tinubu’s decision not to attend the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York, noting that some other African leaders were also absent from the event.

He cited South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, saying their absence had not generated similar public reactions.

The presidential aide said Tinubu had announced his annual vacation in advance and delegated Nigeria’s representation at the UN General Assembly to Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Onanuga also criticised former Anambra State governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his comments about Tinubu’s whereabouts.

He accused Obi of pretending not to know that the President was on vacation despite the Presidency’s earlier announcement.

Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria during the week to participate in activities marking the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

According to Onanuga, the President will also attend the premiere of a film produced in honour of the late Chief MKO Abiola, whom he described as a martyr of Nigeria’s democratic struggle, in Lagos.