President Bola Ahmed Tinubu returned to Abuja in the early hours of Sunday, July 13, 2025, following a two-week official trip to Saint Lucia and Brazil.
His aircraft, Nigeria Air Force (NAF) 1, landed at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about 1:30 a.m., where he was received by top government officials. Among those present were Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku; Minister of Defence, Bello Matawalle; National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Senator Aliyu Wamakko, and Alhaji Ibrahim Masari.
President Tinubu had departed Nigeria on June 28 for a maiden state visit to Saint Lucia, where he formalised diplomatic ties and was conferred with the country’s highest honour, the Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia. He described the recognition as a symbol of deepening historical and cultural ties between both countries and pledged stronger relations with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
He later proceeded to Brazil for the BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, where he joined other global leaders to advocate for reforms in the international financial system and enhanced South-South cooperation. During a bilateral meeting with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Tinubu stressed the need to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks in agriculture, promising reforms to boost food security and exports.
However, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the President’s delayed return after the summit, demanding transparency and accountability regarding his whereabouts between July 7—the closing date of the BRICS Summit—and July 13, when he returned to Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned why Tinubu had remained out of public view for five days without any official communication or briefing.
“All other leaders who attended the BRICS Summit returned to their countries, briefed their citizens, and resumed work. Our President only reappeared five days later, without a word or explanation,” the statement read.
The party described the delay as troubling, especially given the nation’s mounting economic and security challenges. It further alleged a recurring pattern of unaccounted absences during previous international trips.
The ADC referenced several past instances in 2024, including unexplained delays following official visits to France, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, China, and the United Kingdom. In each case, the party claimed, there was no formal communication to Nigerians or the National Assembly, accusing the presidency of showing “disdain for accountability.”
The party concluded by insisting that the presidency owes Nigerians an explanation for the five-day gap after the BRICS Summit, reiterating that such silence is unacceptable in a democratic government.
