President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday evening, arrived in Lagos from London ahead of Wednesday’s Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
Tinubu’s Gulfstream jet arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, at 05:05 pm local time where he was welcomed by a waiting crowd of supporters.
This concludes his one-week trip to Paris—where he attended a summit for A New Global Financing Pact hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron—and London, for a private visit.
The Presidency had on Saturday revealed that Tinubu canceled his planned return to Abuja that day.
“Tinubu, who was initially scheduled to be back in Abuja on Saturday, will now proceed to London, United Kingdom, for a short private visit,” a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake, read.
Although the statement was silent on the particular day of Tinubu’s return, Presidency sources confirmed to The PUNCH that the Nigerian leader would return to his private Ikoyi home in Lagos later on Tuesday to observe his first Sallah celebration as President.
“I am certain that he will return to Lagos tomorrow (Tuesday), not Abuja. That’s where he will observe Sallah.
“The holiday lasts until Thursday, he may extend his stay till Sunday or Monday next week before he returns to Abuja,” the source said.
He returns amidst uncertainty about his list of prospective ministers, which, according to another source, is almost ready to be sent to the National Assembly.
“I learned that Tinubu’s Ministerial list is almost done. He kept a core of Ministers to himself, heavily influenced by the kitchen cabinet of SAs. The politicians are in Bolekaja over the rest. It’s a slugfest now,” said the source.
In March, the then Special Adviser to the president-elect, Alake, said Tinubu would convene his cabinet within one month of assuming office.
Alake said this is in line with the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution mandating presidents-elect and governors-elect to submit the names of their ministerial and commissioner nominees within 60 days of taking the oath of office for confirmation by the Senate or state House of Assembly.
He said, “I told you in an earlier interview that it didn’t take Asiwaju more than three weeks to form his cabinet as governor.
“That was as at that time. I think 60 days is even too much.
“A month, maximum, is enough for any serious government to form its cabinet and put a structure of government in place after the swearing-in.”
In 2015, Nigerians lamented the delay by the Buhari administration in appointing ministers, which took about six months to form its cabinet.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday, departed Abuja for Maiduguri, Borno State, where he will be observing this year’s Eid-el-Kabir.
Our correspondent learned that he is due to return within the weekend.
