Lagos, 13 July 2025 – The African Democratic Congress (ADC), a Nigerian opposition party, has demanded that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu provide a clear explanation for his whereabouts during the five days following the conclusion of the 2025 BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
In a press statement released on Sunday, the ADC expressed concern over what it described as the President’s unexplained delay in returning to Nigeria, labelling it part of a pattern of “disdain for accountability” under his administration.
The statement, signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the ADC and Spokesman of the Coalition, noted that the summit ended on Monday, 7 July, with other world leaders promptly returning home to brief their citizens and resume duties. However, President Tinubu only reappeared in Abuja in the early hours of Sunday, 13 July, without any official communication.
“A whole five days is significant in the life of a country, especially a country like ours battling with several existential challenges of insecurity and a tottering economy that has made life increasingly difficult for the majority of Nigerians,” the statement read. “The President was not on holidays, he was on official duty. We therefore cannot wish those five days away and we demand a clear explanation for them.”
The ADC highlighted previous instances of similar disappearances, suggesting they have become a “distinct hallmark” of the Tinubu administration. These include:
- A “private visit” to France in January 2024 that extended into a two-week absence, with no photos or statements issued.
- A trip to the Netherlands and Riyadh for the World Economic Forum in April 2024, where the President was unaccounted for nine days after the summit ended on 29 April, resurfacing on 8 May.
- A journey to China via Dubai in August 2024, followed by a six-day vanishing period from 5 September, before appearing in London on 11 September.
- Another “brief work stay” in Paris in August 2024, during which the President was incommunicado for three days before quietly returning.
The party argued that such episodes fuel unhealthy speculations and rumours, damaging Nigeria’s international perception. “Each episode of Mr. President’s mysterious disappearances has sparked all manners of speculations and rumours that are not only unhealthy to the polity, but also endangers Nigeria’s perception in the eyes of the world,” it stated.
The ADC urged Nigerians to take note, warning that a leader who “disappears without explanation cannot be trusted to be present to solve the crises that we face.” It further criticised the ruling party for making excuses, claiming this demonstrates “contempt for the people it governs and has no regard for accountability.”
President Tinubu’s office has yet to respond to the ADC’s statement. The administration has previously faced criticism over transparency in the President’s travels, amid ongoing national issues such as economic hardship and security concerns.
