Olu Allen
President Bola Tinubu has left Abuja for Europe for a three-week annual leave, with London as his first destination.
The Presidency describes it as a “working vacation”. Tinubu is expected to remain in contact with ministers and security chiefs and receive regular briefings while away.
Presidential spokesman Sunday Dare says the President needs to “refuel” after months of handling major national issues.
Fair enough.
Presidents are human beings. They need rest too.
But the timing raises a question Nigerians should not ignore:
While the President recharges abroad, what happens at home?
Nigeria is entering one of the most politically consequential periods before the 2027 presidential election.
Just yesterday, opposition figures including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Seyi Makinde gathered in Abuja to discuss how to challenge the APC.
The APC, meanwhile, has unveiled a 223-member presidential campaign council.
The political machinery is already warming up.
And beyond the political meetings, millions of Nigerians are still dealing with high food and transport costs, expensive petrol, insecurity and the wider pressure of the economy.
That is why Tinubu’s vacation is about more than whether a president deserves a break.
It is about timing, leadership and perception.
Atiku has described the President’s departure as creating a “disturbing vacuum of political leadership”.
The Presidency disagrees, arguing that Tinubu remains fully engaged and will continue to monitor affairs of state from Europe.
And this is where the debate gets interesting.
In an era of video calls, secure communications and instant briefings, does a president actually need to be physically present in the country to provide effective leadership?
Or does physical absence matter more in a country where citizens are already questioning the visibility and responsiveness of government?
There is also a political dimension.
Tinubu is not simply travelling during an ordinary period.
He is travelling as Nigeria’s political temperature rises.
The 2027 race is beginning to take shape.
Opposition forces are searching for a coalition.
The ruling party is building its campaign structure.
And Nigerians are watching.
So perhaps the real question is not whether Tinubu should take a vacation.
He should.
The question is whether his administration can ensure that the country continues to feel governed while he is away.
Because leadership is not only about being present.
It is also about making your absence irrelevant.
And that is what Nigerians should be watching.
Not simply where Tinubu is going.
But what happens in Nigeria while he is gone.
Stop scrolling. Start watching.
Olu Allen writes on public affairs and advocates for good governance.
