President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended his working vacation by a few days and is expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend, the Presidency has said.
Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for London, United Kingdom, where he began the working vacation before proceeding to Paris, France, after spending about a week in the UK.
While in Paris, the President held meetings with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, as well as businessman Vincent Bollore, whose business interests include Canal+, Multichoice and Universal Music Group.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Tinubu had remained in contact with developments in Nigeria and continued to oversee the administration of government despite his absence from the country.
According to the statement, the President recently directed the establishment of an independent panel to investigate the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Minna, Niger State, following their detention by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The Presidency also said Tinubu had assigned Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him at selected official engagements during his absence.
Shettima departed Abuja on September 20 for New York, United States, to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly, where he is representing the President and is expected to deliver Nigeria’s national statement.
With the Vice President currently in New York, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, will continue to represent the President at official functions, the Presidency added.
On political matters, the Presidency said the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abubakar Yari, had been coordinating consultations involving senior political leaders and prominent traditional rulers across the country.
The Presidency also dismissed comments by former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, questioning Tinubu’s absence from the United Nations General Assembly and demanding an explanation.
It described the comments by Atiku and a United States-based lobbying firm as “baseless insinuation,” maintaining that the President’s representation at the global gathering had been duly provided for.
“Vice President Shettima, who is representing the President at the global conference, will present Nigeria’s national statement,” the statement added.
