Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, criticises the Presidency over undisclosed return dates for President Tinubu’s foreign trips
Paul Ibe, media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Presidency over what he described as a growing lack of transparency regarding the return dates of President Bola Tinubu’s foreign trips.
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PUNCH Online reported that President Tinubu is scheduled to depart Abuja on Monday, January 26, 2026, for a state visit to the Republic of Turkey.
The Presidency described the trip as a multi-day diplomatic engagement aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and exploring cooperation in security, education, social development, innovation, and aviation.
According to a statement by Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga, the agenda will include strategic political and diplomatic discussions, meetings between senior officials, and the signing of memoranda of understanding in scientific research, energy, technical cooperation, media, military, and protocol.
However, the statement did not indicate when the President would return, noting only that Tinubu would be back “at the conclusion of the visit.”
Reacting on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, Ibe questioned the omission, suggesting it had become a recurring trend.
“What is this new trend of not giving a date of the return of the President whenever he is travelling out?” he asked.
He added a sarcastic remark, implying that the open-ended trips could allow for unscheduled stopovers.
“Perhaps it is to determine if a few days in France to lounge and drink Pina Colada with the French squad can be squeezed in,” he tweeted.
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The comments reflect growing public interest in the transparency of presidential travel schedules and highlight concerns over accountability in government communications.
