President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday held a private working lunch with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris.
LEADING REPORTERS gathered that Tinubu is on a 10-day working vacation in Europe, which began last Thursday.
The Nigerian leader is spending the period between France and the United Kingdom before returning to the country.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga had earlier explained that the vacation forms part of Tinubu’s 2025 annual leave.
The Idoma Area Traditional Council has declared null and void the chieftaincy title conferred on President Bola Tinubu and four others at the Igede Agba yam festival in the Oju Local Government Area of Benue State.
The title, received on behalf of the President by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, was bestowed by the Adiharu of Igede, His Royal Highness CP Oga Ero (retd.), during Saturday’s celebration.
Four other dignitaries were similarly honoured at the event.
But in a statement on Monday, the Idoma Area Traditional Council, led by its President and Och’Idoma V, His Royal Majesty Dr. Elaigwu Odogbo John, described the conferment as a violation of its earlier directive suspending all chieftaincy title conferments in the Idoma nation.
The statement, signed by the council’s secretary, Mr. Adegbe Uloko, and titled “Nullification of Purported Chieftaincy Titles Conferred by the Igede Traditional Council,” stressed that the move contravened the council’s declaration dated September 2, 2025.
The council said, “The purported conferment of chieftaincy titles by the Igede Traditional Council on September 6, 2025, is in direct violation of the Declaration of the Idoma Area Traditional Council. Such conferments are null, void, and of no legal, customary, or traditional effect.”
Reaffirming its authority, the IATC said it remained the only government-recognised traditional body in the Idoma nation and warned that any acts contrary to its directives amounted to a breach of extant law.
It therefore urged the general public, government institutions, and traditional stakeholders to disregard the titles purportedly conferred on President Tinubu and the other recipients.
“This pronouncement is made to safeguard the integrity of traditional institutions in Benue State, to uphold due process and to maintain peace, unity, and order within the Idoma Area Traditional Council,” the statement added.
The council had last week announced a suspension of all chieftaincy title conferments across its domain, citing the need to sanitise and regulate the process.
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja today, September 4, to commence a working vacation in Europe, as part of his 2025 annual leave.
The vacation will last 10 working days.
This was disclosed via a statement by the Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, “The vacation will last 10 working days.”
It further stated: “President Tinubu will spend the period between France and the UK and then return to the country.”
STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT TINUBU DEPARTS ABUJA TO BEGIN 2025 ANNUAL LEAVE
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja today, September 4, to commence a working vacation in Europe, as part of his 2025 annual leave.
The vacation will last 10 working days.
President Tinubu will spend the period between France and the UK and then return to the country.
Bayo Onanuga
Special Adviser to the President
(Information & Strategy)
September 04, 2025.
President Bola Tinubu has revealed the difficulty and delay in appointing Nigerian ambassadors.
Tinubu said he can’t appoint just anybody, hence the difficulty in releasing the list.
Stressing that he still has some ambassadorial slots, Tinubu appreciated Nigerians for their patience.
In a video, the president said he needs to cure the state economy and bring hope to Nigerians before unveiling his ambassadors.
“I couldn’t appoint everybody that I could have appointed, thank you for your patience till now. I still have some slots for ambassadorial positions that too many people are craving for, but it’s not easy stitching together those names.
“First of all, cure the economy, bring hope to the people as that is what we stop for and that hope is here, thank you for believing in me,” he said.
The last set of Nigerian ambassadors were appointed during the past administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Since Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, he is yet to appoint ambassadors despite mounting pressure from Nigerians.
President Bola Tinubu has arrived Abuja, the nation’s capital, following his about two-week diplomatic visit to Japan and Brazil.
A statement by his Senior Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the president arrived at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport Abuja, at exactly 1.30am, on Thursday morning and was received by top government officials.
LEADING REPORTERS reports that Tinubu first left Abuja for Japan to attend the ninth edition of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, TICAD9.
The President then proceeded to Brazil with the view to boosting relations between Nigeria and Brazil.
During his visit to Brazil, both countries signed about five Memorandum of Understanding MoU, covering several areas, including energy, agriculture and security.
According to the statement, the presidential jet took off from Brasília International Airport Air Force Base at 12:57 pm (local time).
At the airport to bid farewell to the president were the Secretary for Africa and the Middle East, Carlos Sérgio Sobral Duarte and the Ambassador of Brazil to Nigeria, Carlos José Areias Moreno Garcete.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu- Ojukwu and other government officials were also at the airport.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed an immediate suspension of the export of raw shea nuts from Nigeria.
The decision follows the recent commissioning of Africa’s largest shea butter processing facility in Niger State, earlier in the month.
The plant, located at Kudu in Mokwa Local Government Area, was established by Salid Agriculture Nigeria Limited with an annual production capacity of 30,000 metric tons.
Chief Executive Officer of Salid Agriculture, Ali Saidu, had disclosed that the company plans to expand operations to 400 metric tons per day, with the long-term vision of establishing a state-of-the-art shea butter refinery.Japan trip
More to follow…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Brazilian investors that Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms are producing measurable results, declaring that corruption has been curbed since he assumed office.
Tinubu gave the assurance on Monday during a meeting with ministers from both countries and members of the Brazil Business Group, where he reiterated Nigeria’s readiness to deepen cooperation in technology transfer, food security, manufacturing, and renewable energy.
He described Nigeria as a “vast, untapped market full of opportunities for Brazilian companies,” stressing that his administration is committed to creating a business-friendly environment.
Acknowledging the challenges that accompanied the initial phase of reforms, the president said: “It was initially painful, but today the result is blossoming.”
His words, “The reform that I have embarked upon since I took over in Nigeria has been very impactful. I can beat my chest for that,” Tinubu said.
“It was initially painful, but today the result is blossoming. It is getting clearer to the people.”
“We have more money in the economy, no more corruption. We have the governor of the Central Bank here.
“You don’t have to know him before you get the foreign exchange that you need. The speculators are out in our currency market. The door is open for businesses — easy in, easy out,” he added.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, on Sunday for a State visit.
Tinubu visited Brazil at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, one of Nigeria’s biggest supporters and partners, Olusegun Dada, an aide to the President on social media said.
According to Dada, the president is on a two-day visit to Brazil to feature in bilateral meetings, a Nigeria–Brazil Business Forum with leading investors, and the signing of key agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen cooperation across agriculture, energy, technology, aviation, renewable energy and cultural exchange.
He stated that the main focus of the visit would be to activate multi-billion-dollar agricultural investments, advance joint initiatives like the $1.1 billion Green Imperative mechanisation project, and secure new flows of FDI into Nigeria’s agriculture and energy sectors.
This visit, Dada said will also focus on deepening political trust, expanding cultural exchange, and harnessing shared opportunities in renewable energy, climate resilience, and digital transformation.
The Federal Government has insisted on going ahead with the review of salaries and allowances for President Bola Tinubu, state governors, lawmakers, and other political office holders, despite mounting public criticism.
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) on Thursday commenced a retreat in Kano to deliberate on a new remuneration framework for political, public, and judicial office holders across the federation.
In a statement at the opening session, Mohammed Kabeer Usman, Chairman of the Commission’s Remuneration and Monetisation Committee and Federal Commissioner representing Gombe State, defended the exercise as both constitutional and necessary.
He said the 1999 Constitution, as amended, empowers RMAFC to determine appropriate remuneration packages for political, public, and judicial office holders at all tiers of government, stressing that the review was informed by economic realities and comparative practices in other countries.
According to him, the commission had conducted wide consultations, including memoranda from stakeholders, ministerial submissions, and public hearings, before arriving at its recommendations. He added that the process was not only about numbers but also about ensuring sustainability and affordability for government finances.
“The commission has analysed the capacity of government to implement the review package, ensuring that recommendations remain fair, realistic, and sustainable,” he said.
The retreat also mandated the committee to harmonise previous reports and addenda into a single framework for implementation. Usman urged participants to deploy their expertise towards producing a balanced outcome that would strengthen governance.
Those present at the retreat included commissioners representing various states such as Adamu Fanda (Kano), Henry Nduka Awuregu, Aruviere Egharhevwa (Delta), Hassan Usman Mahmud (Kaduna), Hauwa Umar Aliyu (Jigawa), Professor Steve Davies Ugbah (Benue), Abdulazeez Idris King (Kogi), Aliyu Abdulkadir (Nasarawa), and Nathaniel Adojutelegan (Ondo), alongside the Committee Secretary and Director of Fiscal Efficiency, Dr Tanimu Adamu Aliyu.
No fewer than 1,000 prayer warriors of the Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) across the country will on Saturday gather in Ilorin, Kwara, to offer prayers for the success of President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians’ economic survival amidst the ravaging socioeconomic hiccups.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Thursday, the state chairman of the OAIC, Evangelist Thomas Adeboye, lamented the current socio-economic and security situation in the country, urging Nigerians to embark on a prayer sojourn for the president and the nation in general.
According to him, President Tinubu has shown his love to revive the country, adding that “it takes all our efforts and support, especially divine intervention to work for us”.
“Nigeria needs prayer over banditry, the ailing economy, and the threatening political situation. We must feature special prayers for President Tinubu and the governors for God’s wisdom and direction,” he stated.
He also urged President Tinubu to institute policies that have a human face.
“We know that he and the governors are trying. We implore them to always make sure that whatever policies they intend to formulate must be end”.
The cleric also said that delegates expected at the maiden convention, themed, Walking in Dominion, would also enjoy free medical outreach and health advice on eye care, diabetes, among other ailments.
He said the theme would spur the group into reaffirming its authority in Christ as believers; encourage spiritual growth, unity, and bold leadership in the face of contemporary challenges.
According to him, the OAIC would also recognise notable individuals who have distinguished themselves while patronising the group with awards and decorations amid sermons, worship, lectures, and special prayers for the country.
