Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Tinubu ‘resting in France’ as supporters celebrate his 71st birthday: Bayo Onanuga

The president-elect has not been seen in the country or in Europe, where his advisers claim he is recovering from campaign stress.

• March 29, 2023
Bola Tinubu
Bola Tinubu (Credit: Bola Tinubu’s Twitter page)

President-elect, Bola Tinubu, is missing from public space seven days after he was secretly flown abroad in a clandestine trip that his senior aides continue to refer to as a “resting trip.” 

The president-elect has not been seen in the country or in Europe, where his advisers claim he is recovering from campaign stress. Mr Tinubu might be aggressively seeking a strategic blow over of his exposed meeting plans with Supreme Court Justice Kayode Ariwoola. 

As fecilitations widely trail his 71st birthday anniversary, his senior aides have not disclosed when the president-elect will be back in the country to play the lead role expected of him in the transition process. 

President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other notable public figures have sent birthday wishes to Mr Tinubu, expressing appreciation for his services to his home state, Lagos, and the country at large. 

“Dolly and I rejoice with you, the family, friends and associates on this occasion of your 71st birthday. 

“We thank God for his grace and enablement upon your life that has made possible your many years of service & contributions to Lagos State, our nation, and our great party,” Mr Osinbajo wrote. 

“I rejoice with the President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he turns 71 today: an age that embodies many years of experience and achievements in the private & public sectors, which have helped prepare him for the historic presidential election win of February 25, 2023.

“As Asiwaju prepares to take over the mantle of leadership, I pray for his wellbeing and that of his family, and for many more years of fruitful and committed service to Nigeria and to humanity,” Mr Buhari wrote. 

A spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, insisted on Wednesday evening that Mr Tinubu is in France and “in touch” with his aides. 

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