Former Kogi State senator, Dino Melaye, has mocked President Bola Tinubu, over his prolonged stay abroad, amid the latest adjustment to the President’s return date.
Melaye, in a post on X on Monday, wrote: “President Tinubu is expected to visit Nigeria next week.”
His remark came as Tinubu is now expected to return to Nigeria on Tuesday, September 29, after spending about four weeks in Europe oafter what the Presidency described as a working vacation.
Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for London, United Kingdom, to begin a three-week vacation as part of his annual leave.
After spending about a week in London, he proceeded to Paris, France, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré.
The Presidency subsequently announced that Tinubu had extended his stay by a few days and would return at the weekend. However, his return was again postponed, with the latest itinerary indicating Tuesday as the expected date of arrival.
He is expected to return through Lagos and remain in the commercial city through October 1, when he will mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary and deliver a national broadcast, before proceeding to Abuja.
The prolonged absence has generated controversy, particularly over Tinubu’s decision to spend an extended vacation outside Nigeria and his non-attendance at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures questioned the President’s absence, while Peter Obi also criticised the decision to spend the vacation in Europe.
‘Tinubu expected to visit Nigeria next week’ — Dino Melaye mocks prolonged vacation