President Tinubu departs Paris for Nigeria, As Sowore Claims President Undergoing Treatment In France
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ended his working vacation and has already departed Paris, France, for the homeward journey to Nigeria.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ended his working vacation and has already departed Paris, France, for the homeward journey to Nigeria.
Special Adviser to the President on
Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who spoke in a statement noted that Tinubu’s aircraft was expected to touch down at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, later Tuesday evening.
Tinubu is returning to the country against the backdrop of claims by the Presidential Candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, that the Nigerian leader was undergoing medical treatment in France, contrary to the Presidency’s position that the President was on a working vacation.
According to Sowore, Tinubu was not on working vacation, he was hospitalised and undergoing treatment in France, describing the occasional photos/meetings with Macron and Bolloré are "apparitional appearances designed to fool the public."
The AAC presidential candidate compared the present Tinubu's situation to Yar'Adua and Buhari era noting that it was same language "President can govern from anywhere."
Sowore made the claim during an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Monday while discussing Tinubu’s prolonged stay in Europe and his absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
However, Onanuga said that President Tinubu chose to fly to Lagos first to honour the memory of the martyr of Nigeria’s democratic struggle, Chief MKO Abiola.
On the 66th Independence Day, he said: the "President will attend the premiere of a movie honouring Abiola, the winner of the June 1993 election, at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.
"While in Lagos, President Tinubu will also hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates over several days in preparation for the 2027 elections."
President Tinubu had departed Abuja on August 30, 2026, for the working vacation and spent one week in London before heading for Paris.
While in Paris, he attended a private dinner with President Emmanuel Macron and also met with business leaders, including Mr Vincent Bolloré of the Bolloré Group, whose media and digital interests include Canal+, MultiChoice and Universal Music Group.
On Monday, he also met with the Chairman of First Holdings, Femi Otedola even as he also, witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World to build a Gateway deep seaport in Ogun Waterside and create a Blue Marine Economic Zone in the area last week.
DP World, one of the world’s leading ports and logistics operators, plans to invest $7 billion for the seaport and the economic zone.
Meanwhile, Sowore has defended his allegations that President Tinubu was in France for treatment of an undisclosed illness saying, “Well, it’s not what I’ve been told. It’s what I found out.”
Asked to provide evidence for his claim that Tinubu is currently hospitalised, Sowore said his information came from sources he considered reliable, pointing out however, that he did not know the nature of the alleged ailment.He said he had spent the previous two weeks in the United States and had been monitoring developments around the UN General Assembly, adding that he had also spoken to sources about the President’s whereabouts.
“There’s something I don’t want to disclose publicly here,” he said, adding that “some of those reliable sources said that Tinubu has been undergoing treatment.”
Sowore, however, said he did not have details of the alleged condition.
He further alleged that Tinubu’s occasional public appearances were intended to create the impression that he was carrying out his normal duties.
His words, “I don’t know what ailment it is because we don’t have those details, and that is why they have not discharged him from the hospital.
“What you see, those apparitional appearances once in a while, where he’s meeting with people is designed exactly to fool the public down here.”
President Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30, 2026, for what the Presidency initially described as a three-week annual vacation, travelling first to London before proceeding to Paris, France.
The Presidency subsequently said the working vacation had been extended by a few days.
The Presidency has consistently rejected concerns over Tinubu’s health, with Onanuga, saying on Sunday that the President was “hale and hearty” and would return to Nigeria during the week.
Onanuga said Tinubu had continued to discharge his official responsibilities while abroad, including engagements with investors in France.
Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the UN General Assembly in New York, after the Presidency announced that Tinubu would not attend the gathering in person.
His words, “I don’t know what ailment it is because we don’t have those details, and that is why they have not discharged him from the hospital.
“What you see, those apparitional appearances once in a while, where he’s meeting with people is designed exactly to fool the public down here.”
President Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30, 2026, for what the Presidency initially described as a three-week annual vacation, travelling first to London before proceeding to Paris, France.
The Presidency subsequently said the working vacation had been extended by a few days.
The Presidency has consistently rejected concerns over Tinubu’s health, with Onanuga, saying on Sunday that the President was “hale and hearty” and would return to Nigeria during the week.
Onanuga said Tinubu had continued to discharge his official responsibilities while abroad, including engagements with investors in France.
Vice President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the UN General Assembly in New York, after the Presidency announced that Tinubu would not attend the gathering in person.
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