President Bola Tinubu is expected back in Abuja today after ending his annual vacation ahead of schedule, in what many interpret as a deliberate move to re-engage pressing national issues.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the development yesterday, noting that Tinubu would resume official duties immediately upon arrival.
Tinubu had left the country on September 4 for France, where he spent part of his holiday. He was initially scheduled to continue the break in the United Kingdom before opting to cut it short. While in Paris, the Nigerian leader reportedly held a private luncheon with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace, where both leaders reviewed bilateral relations and discussed trade, security, investment, and global stability.
The President’s early return comes at a politically sensitive time, as Rivers State braces for the scheduled reinstatement of Governor Siminalayi Fubara on Thursday, September 18, after a six-month suspension. Tinubu had ordered Fubara’s removal in March over security concerns and appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator, a decision that sparked controversy within the polity.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 70 Civil Society Organisations under the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room have called on the National Assembly to summon Ibas to render a detailed account of his stewardship before his mandate expires this week.
In a joint statement marking the 2025 International Day of Democracy, the CSOs argued that accountability was imperative, particularly since funds belonging to Rivers State, earlier withheld by the Federal Government, were released to Ibas after his appointment.
“This is very important, especially when you consider that resources of the state were placed in his custody. There is a need for transparency and accountability,” the statement read.
