- Special Adviser Sunday Dare said Tinubu’s break came after six to seven months of intense engagement with state matters
- Dare linked the timing of the vacation to the start of Nigeria’s 2027 general election campaign season
- The presidential aide said Tinubu would continue to monitor government affairs during the period away
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
The Presidency has explained President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s three-week vacation.
Legit.ng reports that President Tinubu left Abuja on Sunday morning, August 30, 2026, for Europe to start a three-week annual leave.
Tinubu’s first stop is London, United Kingdom (UK), before continuing to other parts of Europe.
Source: Getty Images
President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria ahead of campaigns for the January 2027 general elections.
Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, said the break was necessary for the president to rest and recharge after an extended period of intensive governance.
Dare spoke to journalists on Sunday, saying Tinubu had been deeply engaged with state matters for roughly six to seven months before taking the break.
“The President has had several months — six, seven months — of being engaged with state matters. We’ve seen monumental changes, monumental decisions taken with our security, with our economy and so many other things as pertains to the running of the affairs of this country,” Dare said.
Vacation timed ahead of 2027 campaign season
Dare added that the timing of the vacation was not coincidental.
He said the president is entering what is expected to be a gruelling political period, with months of intense campaigning ahead as preparations for the 2027 general elections pick up pace across political parties.
“The campaign season has just started. We have four, five months of serious campaigning. Of course, governance will continue. The to continue,” the presidential aide said.
He stressed that Tinubu would not be fully disengaged from government business during the break.
Dare said President Tinubu would continue to monitor the affairs of the country while away.
APC prepares for 2027 elections
The announcement comes as Nigeria’s political landscape begins to shift towards the 2027 electoral cycle.
The governing All Progressives Congress is among the parties expected to ramp up campaign activities in the coming months, with Tinubu widely anticipated to seek re-election.
Dare’s comments suggest the presidency views the vacation as a strategic pause before what it expects to be a demanding stretch of both political and governance responsibilities for the president.
Four reasons Tinubu opposes release of FBI, DEA records
Recall that President Tinubu asked a US court to block the release of his FBI and DEA records, arguing that privacy laws protect him from disclosure.
His lawyers say there is no public interest in the matter and accuse the requester of pursuing political motives.
The case has reignited controversy over Tinubu’s past, with opposition parties insisting Nigerians deserve transparency.
Tinubu told to shelve re-election bid
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Apostle Jeremiah Oluwarotimi Adeyeye, the founder of Clear Revelation Ministry, publicly called on President Tinubu to step aside ahead of the 2027 election.
The cleric cited rising fuel costs, cooking gas prices, and growing poverty at the grassroots level as the basis for his appeal. Adeyeye acknowledged.
Tinubu’s past political achievements but warned that economic conditions could hurt his chances at the polls.
Source: Legit.ng