The Presidency said on Sunday President Bola Tinubu is working from abroad while on a three-week vacation and does not need to be physically present in Nigeria to perform his official duties.

Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, made the remark in a statement, amid questions about Mr Tinubu’s whereabouts and delayed return to the country since he left for vacation on August 30.

“Nigeria’s President is hale and hearty. He has been on a working vacation, which he is perfectly entitled to. In this digital age, he does not need to be physically present in Abuja to do the work for which he was elected in 2023,” Mr Onanuga said.

He added, “And we have seen that he has indeed been working, meeting investors in France, most recently facilitating a $7 billion deep-sea port in Ogun Waterside, an initiative of the Ogun State Government.”

Reacting to criticisms over Mr Tinubu’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mr Onanuga said, “Two other important African leaders were not in New York for the UNGA: South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and Egypt’s Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Ramaphosa booked himself off public engagements.

“Johannesburg and Pretoria made no uproar over Ramaphosa’s absence at UNGA. And Egypt did not erupt that Sisi did not go to New York. The Nigerian President announced he was taking his annual vacation and delegated attendance to his able and dependable Vice President.”

He added, “Yet Peter Obi pretends to be unaware of President Tinubu’s whereabouts and asks the puerile question his followers are asking on X. President Tinubu will return home this week to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary and honour MKO Abiola, the martyr of the democracy we enjoy today, by attending the premiere of a movie in MKO’s memory in Lagos.”

Last week, Mr Tinubu extended his European vacation by a few days.