“What Is Tinubu Doing in Paris?” — Atiku’s Aide Challenges Presidency

By Our Correspondent

The media aide to former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has challenged the Presidency to publish details of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s substantive engagements in Paris and the outcomes of his activities during his prolonged stay in France.

Ibe made the demand on Monday, September 28, 2026, amid renewed questions over Tinubu’s continued absence from Nigeria after the period initially announced for his three-week working vacation.

Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for London to begin what the Presidency described as a three-week annual working vacation. He subsequently travelled to Paris, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and French businessman Vincent Bolloré.

Ibe said Nigerians deserved sufficient information about the official engagements being undertaken by Tinubu in France, arguing that the Presidency should provide details that would enable the public to assess the purpose and outcome of the President’s extended stay abroad.

According to him, the issue was not whether the President was “hale and hearty”, but why his stay abroad had continued beyond the period initially announced by the Presidency.

“The Presidency should publish Tinubu’s substantive engagements and their outcomes. Nigerians can then judge whether this prolonged absence is justified,” Ibe said, according to a report published on Monday.

The Atiku aide also questioned the reference to the proposed $7 billion Ogun deep-seaport project as part of the explanation for Tinubu’s activities in France.

He noted that the agreement was between the Ogun State Government and DP World, with Tinubu witnessing the signing, and questioned its relevance to the justification for the President’s prolonged stay in France.

The Presidency, however, has maintained that Tinubu’s absence from Nigeria does not mean he has stopped performing his presidential duties.

In a September 21 statement, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu had extended his working vacation by a few days and would return to Nigeria at the weekend.

The Presidency said the President had remained in contact with officials at home and continued directing government affairs while abroad. It cited, among other activities, Tinubu’s decision to order an independent panel to investigate the deaths of 37 illegal miners in Minna.

The State House also confirmed that Tinubu met Bolloré in Paris on September 18 over plans to deepen investment in Nigeria’s creative and digital economy.

According to the Presidency, the discussions covered areas including film, entertainment and fibre-optic infrastructure, with the Bolloré Group indicating plans to deepen its operations and investments in Nigeria.

Ibe also questioned Tinubu’s decision to remain in France while the 81st United Nations General Assembly was taking place in New York.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the UN General Assembly, while Tinubu remained in Europe. The Presidency explained that Shettima was representing the President and would deliver Nigeria’s national statement at the global gathering.

Ibe contrasted Tinubu’s continued stay in France with French President Emmanuel Macron’s movements, noting that Macron had hosted Tinubu in Paris before travelling to New York for the UN General Assembly.

“Meanwhile, Emmanuel Macron, who hosted Tinubu at the Élysée Palace, travelled to New York for UNGA and returned while Tinubu remained in France on housekeeping duties,” Ibe said.

Tinubu’s prolonged stay has continued to generate political debate, particularly following reports that his expected return to Nigeria had been postponed.

TheCable reported on September 27 that the President’s return plans had been changed at the last minute, with Tuesday being reported as the likely new return date. The reason for the change was not immediately disclosed.

The development has also triggered debate over Section 145 of the Nigerian Constitution, which deals with the President’s absence from office and the transmission of written declarations concerning vacation or inability to discharge presidential functions.

Atiku and his media aide have previously questioned whether the constitutional procedure was followed during Tinubu’s prolonged absence. The Presidency and other government officials have maintained that Tinubu remains in charge of the country’s affairs.

The latest exchange has therefore centred on two positions: the Presidency’s assertion that Tinubu has continued to conduct official business from abroad, and the opposition’s demand for greater disclosure about the President’s activities and the reasons for his extended stay in France.

“What Is Tinubu Doing in Paris?” — Atiku’s Aide Challenges Presidency

Anambra Govt Demands Unreserved Apology From Peter Obi Over Debt Claims

The Anambra State Government has demanded an “unreserved apology” from former Governor Peter Obi over his claims that he left the state without outstanding debts, unpaid salaries, pensions or other financial liabilities when he handed over power in March 2014.

The demand was contained in a statement issued on Saturday, September 26, 2026, by the state Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Dr Law Mefor, following Obi’s appearance on Arise TV on September 24.

The renewed disagreement centres on the financial position of Anambra at the end of Obi’s eight-year tenure and whether loans, salary arrears, pension obligations and other liabilities attributed to his administration remained outstanding after his departure.

Obi has maintained that he left office without owing salaries, pensions, gratuities or contractors whose projects had been completed, certified and verified. He has also disputed the state government’s characterisation of certain World Bank-related facilities as debts personally incurred by his administration.

However, Mefor, in the latest statement titled “Peter Obi’s Debts and Lies: More Questions Than Answers,” said the former governor’s recent interview did not adequately address documents and records presented by the state government.

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According to the commissioner, the state government’s position is that Obi’s administration contracted eight IDA/World Bank-related facilities which continued to have repayment obligations after he left office.

The government had previously identified facilities including the Malaria Control Booster Project, Third National Fadama Development Project, Health System Development Project II, State Education Programme Investment Project, Community and Social Development Project, Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project and Value Chain Development Project. The state said the outstanding balance on the facilities stood at about N127.4 billion as of June 30, 2026, when converted at the official exchange rate.

Mefor argued that the fact that the facilities were obtained through international development institutions did not mean they were grants, insisting that the state was still responsible for repayment and servicing obligations.

The commissioner also rejected the argument that the value of assets or funds allegedly left behind by Obi could be used to erase the existence of liabilities.

He said a government’s financial position must take account of both assets and liabilities, arguing that the existence of savings or investments did not automatically mean there were no outstanding obligations.

The Anambra government further alleged that liabilities involving workers and pensioners remained after Obi’s administration left office.

Mefor specifically cited workers of the Anambra State Water Corporation, claiming that more than 700 employees had outstanding salary, pension and gratuity issues which subsequently became the subject of legal proceedings.

According to the commissioner, an arbitration process and a later National Industrial Court judgment established liabilities involving the workers, while the current administration entered into an out-of-court settlement in February 2024.

The government said the settlement was valued at N1.56 billion and that about N1.2 billion had so far been paid, with the remaining tranche expected to be settled.

Mefor also referred to pension arrears involving primary school teachers, alleging that 16 months of arrears had been certified during Obi’s administration, but that only five months were paid at the time.

These claims remain part of the dispute between the former governor and the current state administration and have been presented by the government as evidence that financial obligations remained when Obi left office.

Another major point of contention is Obi’s claim that he left more than N2.13 billion in an ecological fund account before handing over power.

The former governor had identified a First Bank account in support of his claim. But the Anambra State Government said it obtained records from the bank which, according to the government, did not support Obi’s description of the account.

Mefor said the account number cited by Obi was actually an Internally Generated Revenue Consolidated Account belonging to the Anambra State Government and not an ecological fund account.

The commissioner further claimed that a First Bank letter dated September 16, 2026, indicated that the account did not have N2.13 billion as its balance on March 17, 2014, nor did it record such an amount as an inflow during the period examined by the bank.

The government consequently challenged Obi to explain where the N2.13 billion he said he left behind was kept if it was not contained in the account he identified.

The ecological fund dispute is significant because Obi had cited the money as part of the financial resources he said were available to his successor after he left office.

The former governor has, however, continued to reject the broader allegation that he left Anambra with outstanding debts, maintaining that his administration settled inherited obligations and left substantial financial resources and investments.

In his September 24 Arise TV appearance, Obi reportedly maintained that his administration did not borrow money or issue bonds on behalf of Anambra State and said he left office without owing salaries, gratuities, pensions or contractors whose work had been completed and verified.

The dispute has also revived an earlier challenge attributed to Obi, in which he said he would withdraw from the 2027 presidential race if anyone could establish that he left salary, pension or other debts behind after leaving office.

The Anambra government said it considered the challenge to have placed the issue of Obi’s financial record firmly in the public domain.

Mefor therefore urged the former governor to acknowledge what the government described as documentary evidence and apologise to the people of Anambra State and Nigerians.

“As a responsible government and committed to ethical governance and politics, we remain ready to provide information that advances public interest,” Mefor said in the statement.

“For H.E. Peter Obi, it is a matter of word, character and integrity.”

The commissioner concluded by calling on Obi to “tender an unreserved apology” and move on from the controversy.

The latest exchange represents another escalation in the long-running disagreement between Obi and the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo over the financial records and legacy of the former governor’s administration.

While the Anambra government has cited debt records, bank documents and court-related liabilities in support of its position, Obi has rejected the allegations. The competing claims mean that the underlying financial records, including the relevant loan agreements, audited accounts, handover documents, bank statements and court records, remain central to independently determining the full financial position of the state as of March 17, 2014.

Anambra Govt Demands Unreserved Apology From Peter Obi Over Debt Claims

Kano Upgrades Five PHCs to General Hospitals, Begins Assessment

The Kano State Government has approved the upgrade of five Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) to General Hospitals as part of efforts to expand access to secondary healthcare services across the state.

The affected facilities are the PHCs in Garun Malam, Kumbotso, Ghari, Garko and Kachako.

The decision is aimed at bringing more comprehensive healthcare services closer to residents, particularly communities that currently rely on existing general and specialist hospitals for secondary medical care.

Following the approval, the Kano State Hospitals Management Board (HMB) has commenced arrangements for the immediate takeover and assessment of the five facilities.

The Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr Mansur Mudi Nagoda, has constituted a team to inspect the facilities and conduct a comprehensive assessment of their existing infrastructure, human resources, medical equipment and other requirements needed for their conversion to General Hospitals.

The team is expected to identify gaps at each facility and determine the additional resources required for the smooth commencement of operations. Its findings and recommendations will be submitted to the state government for further action.

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The government said the upgrade of the five PHCs is expected to improve access to secondary healthcare in the affected local government areas, reduce pressure on existing general and specialist hospitals, strengthen referral pathways and improve healthcare delivery at the grassroots.

The Kano Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, and the HMB Executive Secretary welcomed the approval, describing it as part of ongoing efforts to reposition the state’s healthcare system.

They said the expansion would help residents gain access to timely, affordable and quality healthcare services closer to their communities.

The latest approval comes amid wider investments in Kano healthcare infrastructure. At its 41st meeting on September 24, 2026, the Kano State Executive Council approved ₦2.609 billion for the rehabilitation and upgrading of healthcare facilities across the state.

The approvals included the upgrade of Kibiya and Albasu PHCs to General Hospitals, with ₦521.948 million and ₦679.375 million allocated respectively for the two projects.

Other approved health projects include the renovation of Karaye Emirate Specialist Hospital, rehabilitation of Shekar Barde PHC in Kumbotso and the upgrade of Yakasai Zumunta Clinic and Maternity to provide 24-hour services.

The latest development therefore forms part of a broader effort by the Kano government to expand healthcare infrastructure and increase the availability of secondary medical services across the state.

For residents of Garun Malam, Kumbotso, Ghari, Garko and Kachako, the next stage will involve assessing the facilities and providing the personnel, equipment and infrastructure required for them to operate effectively as General Hospitals.

The state government has not announced a specific completion date for the transition, with the timeline expected to depend on the outcome of the facility assessments and subsequent implementation measures.

Kano Upgrades Five PHCs to General Hospitals, Begins Assessment