May 4, 2024

NEWS
SaharaReporters had on Thursday exclusively reported Tinubu’s unannounced trip to Paris, France in what multiple sources confirmed was for medical reasons.

The silence of Nigeria’s presidency about President Bola Tinubu’s unofficial trip to France has revived raging debates over concerns and secrecy of the president’s state of health.

SaharaReporters had on Thursday exclusively reported Tinubu’s unannounced trip to Paris, France in what multiple sources confirmed was for medical reasons.

“The President is in France to see his doctors,” a source had said.

An investigation by SaharaReporters had revealed that a Nigerian presidential aircraft, a Gulfstream Aerospace GV-SP (G550) with registration number 5N-FGW and serial number 5310 (Mode-S 0640F2) with Tinubu onboard arrived at Paris Airport-Le Bourget, France around 04:00pm on Thursday from an airport in London.

The President on Tuesday morning left Saudi Arabia – where he attended the World Economic Forum – for London.

A statement issued last week by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale said the special WEF meeting in Riyadh would end on Monday, April 29.

“After his engagements in the Netherlands, President Tinubu will proceed to attend a special World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting scheduled for April 28-29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” the statement had read.

Meanwhile, in the statement, the Presidency carefully left out information about when Tinubu was expected back in Nigeria after the international forum or that he would visit the UK and France after leaving Saudi Arabia.

Also, the Presidency has been silent on President Tinubu’s whereabouts since the international summit ended on Monday, April 29.

Efforts to reach Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, for comments and clarification failed as he did not answer calls from SaharaReporters. He also did not reply to messages sent to his mobile phone.

However, SaharaReporters learnt that the 5N-FGW (Gulfstream Aerospace) which was operated as Nigerian Air Force 1 – meaning the President was on board – left Riyadh International Airport on Tuesday, April 30 at 12:05 am (02:05 am Saudi Arabian time) and arrived at Stansted Airport, London at 06:35 am, UK time.

EXCLUSIVE: Tinubu Lands In France ‘For Medical Reasons’ As Presidency Keeps Mute On His Whereabouts Since World Economic Forum Ended Monday In Saudi
May 02, 2024
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The jet was used to replace the Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-700) 5N-FGT that is still in Germany for repairs.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians have taken over the social media to demand the whereabouts of Tinubu who has not been seen in public since he met with Microsoft Founder and Philanthropist, Bill Gates at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia last Sunday, April 28.

The president who was supposed to make a public address to Nigerian civil servants on May 1 workers’ day was nowhere in sight.

Also, the President didn’t attend the last Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting.

Recently, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima has been attending and taking charge in so many occasions where Tinubu himself should have shown up.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians have declared the President Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL).

They wondered why Tinubu has refused to return to Nigeria after the WEF meeting ended in Saudi Arabia on Monday.

Some of them who took to the social media platform, X (formerly Twitter) said:

Paul Ibe, @OfficialPaulIbe said, “The whereabouts of Nigerian president must never be a subject of speculation. If Tinubu is in France for medicals, as reported by @SaharaReporters, or elsewhere, Nigerians deserve to know. After all, he is our property and is spending state resources.”

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DauDuSheshi, @MrGEO01 wrote, “The citizens must be allowed to know the status of their President and his medical conditions.

Every citizen is entitled to lead the Nation but it will be wrong for the President to be under serious medical need and keep that hidden from the citizens. We cant keep staying in dark.”

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Abayomi, @thebearsze said, “The president has been AWOL for a week. LMAO. This is what you people fought for? What you destroyed friendships and community for?The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

CHIDYE, @gentlechidye wrote, “This is why there was no address on Workers Day!”

Rhatti Bwoy, @donballen wrote, “Who knew our president has been awol for a week lol.”

Eighth wonders of the world, @gabrielonyebu10 wrote, “”I built Lagos” don run go hide for France for medical reason. Them no dey build hospital for Lagos? Ndi mgbu”

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Thomas NOT Sankara, @Isidore0001 said, “We knew he is awol for medical check up. This is no news, rather a pattern.”

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@ajaGunSEgun_ wrote, “For whatever reason, if Nigerians continue to allow political office holders to travel abroad for medical treatment or send their children to foreign universities, etc., meaningful development in both sectors will be impossible.”

john_though, @hey_watever wrote, “Tinubu’s first year: The dollar soars, petrol prices skyrocket, and the cost of living is unbearable. The minimum wage barely covers a bag of rice.

What progress has been made? Where is the ‘work’ we were promised?”

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Before the 2023 general elections, Tinubu’s health was a source of concern for many Nigerians.

SaharaReporters had reported how the former Lagos governor spent over four months patronising hospitals in France, the United States and the United Kingdom where he underwent several surgeries between 2020 and 2022.

He was flown out of the country some days before Christmas in 2020 to Paris, France. The President returned to Nigeria on January 24, 2021, after a month’s absence from Nigeria.

He also went for a medical check-up in France in June 2021 and was conspicuously absent from a one-day working visit of then-President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos State. Tinubu, amidst death rumours, was forced to return to the country on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

SaharaReporters also reported that Tinubu was hospitalised in Maryland, the United States in July 2021. On August 9, the APC leader had another knee surgery at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, U.S.

The APC chieftain, it was learnt, left the U.S. for the United Kingdom on crutches, a few days after the surgery

Sources close to Tinubu had told SaharaReporters that he wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan over rumours of his death.

In August, his predecessor, President Buhari paid a visit to Tinubu in London and the latter was seen with a walking stick during Buhari’s visit, confirming SaharaReporters’ story that he had undergone surgery in the US.

Upon his return in October 2022, Tinubu confirmed that he underwent surgery on his right knee as well as post-surgery physiotherapy on the said knee during his medical trip abroad.

SaharaReporters also reported how the President, after the May 29, 2023 swearing-in became exhausted and went on a bed rest.

SaharaReporters also exclusively reported that Tinubu returned to France to see his doctors, weeks before his inauguration on May 29.