Deji Elumoye in Abuja
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday evening returned to Nigeria after a four-week working vacation in Europe.
The President arrived in Lagos from Paris, France aboard the official presidential jet, Nigerian Air Force 1, which landed at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja at about 6:22pm.
On hand to welcome the President were the governor of Lagos State, Proclaiming Sanwo-Olu; his Kwara State counterpart, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas; Deputy Senate President, Senator Jubril Barau; APC Gubernitorial Candidate in Lagos State, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.
Tuesday evening’s arrival brings to an end an extended working vacation of the President which took him to the United Kingdom and France in Europe.
Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, in a release earlier on Tuesday had stated that President Tinubu’s aircraft was expected to touch down at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, later on Tuesday.
Tinubu chose to fly to Lagos first to honour the memory of the martyr of Nigeria’s democratic struggle, Chief MKO Abiola
According to the statement, on Independence Day, 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, Tinubu will also hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates over several days in preparation for the 2027 elections.
The President will return to Abuja after his political engagements in Lagos.
Tinubu, who departed Abuja on August 30, 2026 for the working vacation, 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, Tinubu also met with the Chairman of First Holdings, Femi Otedola.
Last week, the President 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.
DP World, one of the world’s leading ports and logistics operators, plans to invest $7 billion for the seaport and the economic zone.