Tinubu Set to Return to Abuja After Six-Day Stay in Lagos
By Fact Harbour News
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja on Monday evening after spending six days in Lagos, according to the Presidency.
The President arrived in Lagos on Tuesday, September 29, following the conclusion of his annual working vacation in London and Paris. His stay in the nation’s commercial capital included official engagements and activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary.
Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who serves as Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the planned departure in a statement issued on Monday, October 5.
During his stay in Lagos, Tinubu delivered his Independence Day address to Nigerians on October 1. The national broadcast formed part of activities marking the country’s 66th anniversary of independence.
The President also attended the national premiere of MKO later that day at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts.
The documentary focuses on the life and political journey of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola and the June 12 pro-democracy struggle that became a significant chapter in Nigeria’s political history. The State House confirmed that the screening was among the activities surrounding the Independence anniversary.
Another engagement during the President’s Lagos stay was a visit to the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Babatunde Akiolu.
Tinubu visited the traditional ruler at the Iga Iduganran Palace on Lagos Island on Sunday, where he met with the monarch during his final day in the state before the planned return to Abuja.
The Lagos visit followed Tinubu’s extended working vacation in Europe. The Presidency had earlier announced that the President would return to Nigeria after extending his vacation by several days. He had departed Nigeria on August 30 for London before travelling onward to Paris, where he also held engagements.
His return to Abuja comes as the Federal Government continues its regular official activities from the nation’s capital.
The Presidency has not indicated any unusual reason for the President’s return, describing it simply as the conclusion of his six-day stay in Lagos.
The development also comes on a day when the Presidency issued a separate statement concerning the Nigerian Air Force aircraft crash in Ondo State. President Tinubu expressed condolences over the deaths of those aboard the aircraft and directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident.
The aircraft, an ATR-42, was travelling from Benin to Lagos on a routine mission when it crashed near a naval base in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State. The State House said 25 passengers and seven crew members were involved in the accident.
For Tinubu, the conclusion of the Lagos visit marks a return to Abuja after a period that combined national celebrations, cultural engagements and meetings with traditional leadership.
The President’s October 1 address, attendance at the MKO documentary premiere and visit to the Oba of Lagos formed the major publicly announced engagements of his stay in Lagos.
Further details of the President’s schedule in Abuja are expected to be communicated by the Presidency as official activities resume in the nation’s capital.
