The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, has said that the president left Abuja for a three-week vacation in Europe to rest and ‘refuel’ ahead of the intense campaign activities expected as the 2027 election season gathers momentum.
Dare, while addressing the media on Sunday, explained that the break followed months of intense engagement by Tinubu on matters concerning the country, particularly security and the economy.
He said the president would continue to receive updates and remain involved in key government decisions while away.
‘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,’ he said.
According to Dare, the president’s leave comes as political activities intensify, with several months of campaigning expected before the 2027 elections.
‘And at this point, the campaign season has just started. We have four, five months of serious campaigning. Of course, governance will still continue,’ Dare said.
He said Tinubu needed the break to recharge before the demanding campaign period, while emphasizing that the president would not be completely disconnected from government business during his stay in Europe.
‘And at this point, it’s important that the President also refuels. And even though he’s going on leave, we know that he’ll be engaged with state matters on a daily basis. He will receive briefings from his ministers, from the service chiefs as the case may be, and from every other person who is handling very key decisions in our country,’ he said.
Tinubu departed Nigeria on Sunday as government officials, security personnel and military officers gathered at the airport for his send-off.
Footage from the departure showed the president arriving in a motorcade, accompanied by aides, before boarding the aircraft as military personnel saluted and officials waved him farewell.
The trip is part of Tinubu’s annual leave for 2026 and follows an earlier announcement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Onanuga had said the president’s first destination would be London, United Kingdom, before returning to Nigeria after the working vacation to participate in the campaign for the January 2027 election.