President Bola Tinubu will return to Abuja today after cutting short his annual vacation.
Confirming his arrival yesterday, his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said:“President Tinubu will return to Abuja on Tuesday, September 16, to resume official duties after concluding his vacation”.
The decision to end his holiday ahead of schedule is widely seen as a signal of readiness to re-engage with pressing national issues—particularly the reinstatement of Siminalayi Fubara as Rivers State Governor on Thursday, September 18.
Tinubu had suspended Fubara on March 18, 2025, citing security concerns, and appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd) as Sole Administrator of Rivers State.
The move stirred political controversy.
Meanwhile, a coalition of 70 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has called on the National Assembly to summon Ibas to give an account of his stewardship before his mandate expires on Thursday.
The CSOs argued that accountability was crucial, noting that federal funds belonging to Rivers State, earlier withheld, were later released to Ibas after his appointment.
“This is very important, especially when you consider that funds belonging to Rivers, initially seized by the Federal Government, were released to the Sole Administrator after his appointment. There is a need for accountability,” the group stressed.
Tinubu, who departed Nigeria for France on September 4, had planned to continue his holiday in the United Kingdom.
Instead, he ended the trip early after holding a private luncheon with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, where both leaders reviewed bilateral ties and agreed to strengthen cooperation on trade, investment, security, and global stability.
His early return comes as the administration grapples with urgent policy matters and ongoing reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at stabilising the economy, attracting investment, and upgrading infrastructure.