President Bola Tinubu has extended his working vacation by a few days and is expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend.
The Presidency disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for London, United Kingdom, before travelling to Paris, France, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré.
According to the Presidency, the President has remained in contact with officials in Nigeria and continued to oversee government affairs despite his absence from the country.
It said one of the decisions taken by Tinubu during the vacation was the approval of an independent panel to investigate the deaths of 37 illegal miners in Minna following their detention by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The statement quoted the Presidency as saying, “Since he began the vacation, President Tinubu has continued to keep in touch with home, directing the affairs of the nation.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima had also stood in for the President at some official engagements during the period.
Shettima left Abuja on Sunday for New York to represent Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where he is expected to deliver the country’s national statement.
The Presidency said the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, would continue to represent Tinubu at official functions in his absence.
Meanwhile, it dismissed claims by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a United States-based lobbying firm concerning Tinubu’s absence from the UN General Assembly.
The Presidency described the claims as “baseless” and condemned suggestions surrounding the President’s non-attendance at the global gathering as “irresponsible.”
Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend following the extension of his working vacation.
