The silence of Nigeria’s presidency about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s unofficial trip to France has revived raging debates over concerns and secrecy of the President’s state of health.
This is because Saturday was exactly six days after President Tinubu attended the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and he is yet to return to Nigeria.
The two-day forum, which aimed to help public and private sector leaders address shared global challenges, opened on Sunday, 28th and ended on Monday, 29th April, 2024.
The Presidency has not released any statement on what was holding the President from returning to Nigeria.
An investigation by SaharaReporters had revealed that a Nigerian Presidential aircraft, a Gulfstream Aerospace GV-SP (G550) with registration number 5N-FGW and serial number 5310 (Mode-S 0640F2) with Tinubu onboard arrived at Paris Airport-Le Bourget, France around 04:00pm on Thursday from an airport in London.
The President on Tuesday morning left Saudi Arabia – where he attended the World Economic Forum – for London.
The 5N-FGW (Gulfstream Aerospace), which was operated as Nigerian Air Force 1 – meaning the President was on board, left Riyadh International Airport on Tuesday, April 30 at 12:05 am (02:05 am Saudi Arabian time) and arrived at Stansted Airport, London at 06:35 am, UK time.
This has led to speculations in some quarters that the President may have proceeded to Paris, France, where he had travelled to several times for medicals.
A top official at the Presidential Villa said there was no cause for alarm about the President’s whereabouts.
The official, who refused to disclose his boss’ whereabouts, assured that the President would return to the country “this weekend.”
The President had on April 23 left Abuja for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on an official visit.
Meanwhile, some Nigerians have taken over the social media to demand the whereabouts of Tinubu who has not been seen in public since he met with Microsoft Founder and Philanthropist, Bill Gates at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last Sunday, April 28.
The President who was supposed to make a public address to Nigerian civil servants on May 1 workers’ day was nowhere in sight.
Also, the President didn’t attend the last Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting.
Recently, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima has been attending and taking charge in so many occasions where Tinubu himself should have shown up.
Meanwhile, some Nigerians have declared the President Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL).
They wondered why Tinubu has refused to return to Nigeria after the WEF meeting ended in Saudi Arabia on Monday.
Some of them who took to the social media platform, X (formerly Twitter) said:
Paul Ibe, @OfficialPaulIbe said, “The whereabouts of Nigerian president must never be a subject of speculation. If Tinubu is in France for medicals, as reported by @SaharaReporters, or elsewhere, Nigerians deserve to know. After all, he is our property and is spending state resources.”
DauDuSheshi, @MrGEO01 wrote, “The citizens must be allowed to know the status of their President and his medical conditions.
Every citizen is entitled to lead the Nation but it will be wrong for the President to be under serious medical need and keep that hidden from the citizens. We cant keep staying in dark.”
Abayomi, @thebearsze said, “The president has been AWOL for a week. LMAO. This is what you people fought for? What you destroyed friendships and community for?The more things change, the more they stay the same.”
CHIDYE, @gentlechidye wrote, “This is why there was no address on Workers Day!”
Rhatti Bwoy, @donballen wrote, “Who knew our president has been awol for a week lol.”
Eighth wonders of the world, @gabrielonyebu10 wrote, “”I built Lagos” don run go hide for France for medical reason. Them no dey build hospital for Lagos? Ndi mgbu”
Thomas NOT Sankara, @Isidore0001 said, “We knew he is awol for medical check up. This is no news, rather a pattern.”
@ajaGunSEgun_ wrote, “For whatever reason, if Nigerians continue to allow political office holders to travel abroad for medical treatment or send their children to foreign universities, etc., meaningful development in both sectors will be impossible.”
john_though, @hey_watever wrote, “Tinubu’s first year: The dollar soars, petrol prices skyrocket, and the cost of living is unbearable. The minimum wage barely covers a bag of rice. What progress has been made? Where is the ‘work’ we were promised?”
The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, had, in a statement, said the visit was on the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Ngelale had said that while in the Netherlands, Tinubu would engage in high-level discussions with the Prime Minister and hold separate meetings with His Royal Majesty, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Kingdom.
“While in the Netherlands, the president will participate in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum, that will bring together heads of conglomerates and organisations in both countries to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnerships, especially in agriculture and water management towards innovative solutions for sustainable farming practices,” he had stated.
Ngelale had added that Tinubu would, as part of the official visits, also proceed to attend a special WEF meeting scheduled for April 28-29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The special meeting in Riyadh was to among other objectives, bridge the growing North-South divide, which has further widened on issues such as emerging economic policies, the energy transition and geopolitical shocks.
Written with additional reports from Daily Trust, Sahara Reporters