Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, has returned to the country after spending 34 days abroad. 

Tinubu arrived in Nigeria around 4:30 pm on Monday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the country’s capital.

The president-elect had travelled out of the country after the March 18 governorship election.

On March 22, Tunde Rahman, a media aide to Tinubu, said his principal departed Lagos for Paris to rest and prepare for lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia and Ramadan fasting.

Rahman said the president-elect would also use the opportunity to plan his transition programme.

“The president-elect decided to take a break after the hectic campaign and election season to rest in Paris and London, preparatory to going to Saudi Arabia for Umrah (lesser hajj) and the Ramadan fasting that begins Thursday,” Rahman had said.

The trip elicited speculation and controversy about the state of health of the president-elect.

While away, Tinubu was also alleged to have held a secret meeting with Olukayode Ariwoola, the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), in the UK – a claim that had been denied by the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential campaign and the supreme court.

On May 29, the former Lagos governor will be sworn in as Nigeria’s president to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari who would be completing his two terms of eight years.

The Cable