President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has moved the second leg of his European vacation to Paris, arriving in France as Nigeria’s political landscape begins to heat up ahead of the 2027 elections.
Tinubu arrived in the French capital on Sunday and was received by Nigeria’s Ambassador to France, Emmanuel Ayodele Oke, according to footage released by the Presidency.
The Paris stop follows his stay in London, the first destination of a three-week annual leave that began after he departed Abuja on August 30.
But while the trip is officially a holiday, the Presidency has described it as a “working vacation.”
Tinubu Expected to Remain Engaged
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, previously said Tinubu would return to Nigeria after the European trip and continue preparations for the January 2027 general election.
The Presidency has also stressed that being abroad does not mean stepping away from government business.
Before Tinubu left Nigeria, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication Sunday Dare said the President would continue receiving regular updates from senior government officials.
Those briefings are expected to include:
- Ministers handling key government portfolios
- Service chiefs overseeing national security
- Senior officials dealing with critical state matters
- Developments requiring presidential attention
Dare said Tinubu would remain involved in state affairs on a daily basis throughout his time outside Nigeria.
Why the Paris Trip Comes at a Sensitive Time
The timing of the President’s move to France is significant.
Nigeria’s political machinery is already shifting into election mode, with the 2027 presidential contest beginning to take clearer shape.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has published the final list of presidential candidates and running mates for the election, formally putting Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima forward as the All Progressives Congress ticket.
The APC is also preparing its campaign structure, with Tinubu and Shettima designated as chairman and vice-chairman of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council.
In other words, the next election is no longer a distant political conversation. The machinery is already moving.
The Constitutional Question
Tinubu’s extended stay outside Nigeria has also revived an older debate: what happens to presidential authority when the President spends a prolonged period abroad?
The issue has attracted attention from legal and constitutional commentators, particularly over whether an extended foreign absence should trigger a formal transfer of presidential powers to the Vice President.
That question became relevant again after Tinubu left Abuja on August 30.
The Presidency, however, has maintained that the President remains firmly in charge.
Its position is that Tinubu can continue supervising government business and receiving official briefings while abroad, meaning his vacation does not amount to a transfer of presidential authority.
What Happens Next?
For now, Tinubu’s European trip continues under the Presidency’s description of a working vacation.
But the timing ensures that his absence will be watched closely.
With the 2027 election process already taking shape, every presidential move is likely to attract political attention—even when the official itinerary says “vacation.”
