President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dismissed rumours about his health, declaring himself healthy and ready to resume work after returning to Nigeria from an extended working vacation in Europe.
Tinubu spoke to journalists on Tuesday, September 29, shortly after arriving at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, ending a European trip that began on August 30.
Asked about his experience abroad, the President said he enjoyed the trip. He also rejected suggestions that he had been unwell during his stay outside the country.
“I enjoyed myself,” Tinubu said when asked about his vacation.
Tinubu Responds to Rumours About His Health
When journalists asked about speculation that he had been sick during the trip, the President dismissed the claims as a familiar feature of political life.
“I am back. Ready to kick. Ready to work. There is nothing wrong. Rumour will always emanate from politics. But the fact is I am here, healthy, sound, and ready to go,” he said.
The remarks were Tinubu’s direct public response to speculation surrounding his health during his prolonged absence from Nigeria. His statement expressed his own account of his condition and readiness to return to official duties.
Before his arrival, the Presidency had also described the President as “hale and hearty” and maintained that he remained engaged in government business while abroad.
President Returns After Almost a Month in Europe
Tinubu departed Abuja on August 30 for a working vacation that took him first to London, where he spent about a week, before proceeding to Paris, France.
His return was initially expected after a three-week period, but the Presidency subsequently announced extensions to his schedule. He eventually arrived in Lagos on September 29, approximately 30 days after leaving Nigeria.
During his stay in France, Tinubu held engagements involving French President Emmanuel Macron and business leaders, including Vincent Bolloré of the Bolloré Group. The Presidency said discussions included investment opportunities in Nigeria’s creative and digital economy.
The Bureau Journal has followed the administration’s investment agenda, including its plans to attract major private-sector investment into the economy. In an earlier report, the publication examined what the proposed $50 billion deep offshore investment drive could mean for Nigerians.
Why Tinubu Returned Through Lagos
The President chose Lagos as his first destination on returning to Nigeria, rather than travelling directly to Abuja.
According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu wanted to honour the memory of the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
The Presidency said Tinubu would attend a film premiere celebrating Abiola at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos, on October 1, Nigeria’s Independence Day. He is also expected to participate in anniversary activities in the city.
Political Meetings Expected Ahead of 2027 Elections
Beyond the Independence Day programme, Tinubu is expected to hold meetings with political leaders and associates during his stay in Lagos.
Onanuga described the planned engagements as strategic meetings connected to preparations for the 2027 general election. The President is expected to return to Abuja after completing his Lagos engagements.
The meetings come as political parties and aspirants continue to organise ahead of the next general election. The Bureau Journal’s guide to Nigeria’s 2027 general elections and electoral reforms examines the broader electoral landscape and issues shaping preparations for the polls.
Political alignments are also developing within the ruling party and opposition camps. In a recent report, The Bureau Journal examined Nyesom Wike’s position that his support for Tinubu does not automatically extend to APC candidates in other contests.
Such differences illustrate the range of political calculations taking place ahead of 2027, even among politicians whose positions intersect with the President’s political interests.
APC Candidate Selection Adds to Political Activity
The APC has also been dealing with candidate-selection issues as it prepares for the next electoral cycle.
The Bureau Journal has reported on the party’s emerging senatorial ticket arrangements, including its list of senatorial candidates following the 2027 primaries.
The candidate-selection process and negotiations involving party leaders, governors and aspirants form part of the political environment in which Tinubu’s planned consultations are expected to take place.
For the President, the return to Nigeria means resuming domestic engagements while political actors continue positioning themselves ahead of the next general election.
Economic Policy Remains Part of the Political Debate
Tinubu’s return also comes amid continuing national debate over economic policy, including fuel prices, trade and the administration’s reform agenda.
The Bureau Journal has covered proposals from opposition figures as well as policy debates surrounding the Federal Government’s economic direction.
These include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s proposal on fuel subsidy and domestic refining, as well as his position on reopening Nigeria’s land borders and expanding cross-border trade.
Those debates will continue alongside the administration’s policy decisions and the political consultations expected to feature prominently as the 2027 election approaches.
Presidency Had Defended Tinubu’s Absence
During the President’s extended stay abroad, the Presidency maintained that there was no governance vacuum and that Tinubu remained in contact with officials in Nigeria.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented him at several official engagements, including Nigeria’s participation in the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The President’s absence nevertheless attracted questions from political opponents and commentators, particularly after his initially expected return date passed. The Presidency defended the trip as a working vacation and said Tinubu continued directing government affairs remotely.
Tinubu’s comments on arrival in Lagos have now provided his own public response to speculation about his health, alongside his declaration that he is ready to resume work.
Tinubu Begins Lagos Engagements
With his return to Nigeria confirmed, the President is expected to attend the Independence Day film premiere honouring Abiola and hold meetings with political leaders and associates in Lagos.
He is expected to travel back to Abuja after those engagements, according to the Presidency.
For now, Tinubu has rejected the health rumours surrounding his absence and says he is ready to continue his duties. His next engagements will bring him back into Nigeria’s domestic political and policy environment as the country prepares for its 66th Independence anniversary and the approach of the 2027 general election.
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