By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu landed in Abuja, Nigeria in the early hours of Wednesday after a two-week absence from the country.
The New Diplomat recalls that Tinubu on April 23 jetted out of the country for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on an official engagement.
It would be recalled that Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Ajuri Ngelale, had, in a statement, said the visit was based on an invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
During his time in the Netherlands, Tinubu held discussions with prominent Dutch officials, including separate meetings with King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. Additionally, he participated in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum.
Following his engagements in the Netherlands, the President attended a special World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from April 28 to 29. The forum, with the theme:”Global Collaboration, Growth, and Energy for Development,” was a gathering of leaders from various sectors to discuss global development strategies.
However, after the conclusion of the summit on April 29th, the President’s whereabouts remained undisclosed, with the presidency providing no information, triggering widespread speculation that the number one citizen of Nigeria might have purportedly jetted to Europe on a medical visit.
Reacting to the speculations, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu would return to the country the following day.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, along with his aides, will return to Nigeria tomorrow from Europe,” Onanuga had written.
The New Diplomat reports Tinubu’s return on Wednesday marks the end of his twentieth foreign trip since taking office last May.
He has visited some notable places, including Paris, France (three times), London, United Kingdom (twice), Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice), Nairobi, Kenya, Porto Norvo, Benin Republic, New Delhi, India, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, New York, United States of America, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (twice), Berlin, Germany, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dakar, Senegal, Doha, Qatar, and The Hague, The Netherlands.
