President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria declared Tuesday that he is “ready to kick, ready to walk” and that “there’s nothing wrong,” on return from a four-week vacation in Europe that turned controversial after he stayed over 21 days without transmitting power to the vice president, as constitutional prescribed.
Tinubu told journalists in Lagos on return from Paris, France, where he had spent the final part of his extended European vacation, that he enjoyed his four-week stay in Europe and is back in Nigeria “healthy, sound, and ready to go.”
Asked how the vacation was, the President said, “I enjoyed myself. Fantastic.”
The president also dismissed claims that he was sick and hospitalized in France.
“Rumour will always be emanating from politics, but the facts remain, I’m here. Healthy, sound, and ready to go,” Tinubu assured.
He had departed Abuja on August 30 for what the Presidency initially described as a three-week annual vacation, with London as his first destination.
After spending about a week in London, he proceeded to Paris, where he later extended his vacation, with the presidency beating back concerns, clarifying that he was on a working vacation.
In France, Tinubu held a private dinner with President Emmanuel Macron and met business leaders, including Vincent Bolloré of the Bolloré Group. He also met the Chairman of First HoldCo Plc, Femi Otedola.
The President also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World for the development of a Gateway Deep Sea Port in Ogun Waterside and a Blue Marine Economic Zone, with the project expected to attract $7 billion in investment.
Meanwhile, the African Action Congress (AAC) has will filed a lawsuit seeking to compel the National Assembly impeach Tinubu for constitutional breach – for proceeding on a vacation for more than 21 days without transmitting power.