President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has departed Paris, France, for Nigeria after concluding his working vacation in Europe, with his aircraft expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, later on Tuesday.

The Presidency disclosed this in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga on Tuesday.

SEE ALSO: Tinubu’s UNGA Absence: NDC Demands President’s Whereabouts, Health Status

Tinubu is heading to Lagos ahead of Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations, where he is scheduled to attend the premiere of a movie honouring the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre, Iganmu, on October 1.

The Presidency said the President chose to return through Lagos to honour Abiola, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s democratic struggle.

While in Lagos, Tinubu is also expected to hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates over several days as preparations for the 2027 general elections continue.

The President is expected to return to Abuja after completing his engagements in Lagos.

Tinubu departed Abuja on August 30 for the working vacation, spending about one week in London before proceeding to Paris.

During his stay in France, the President attended a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron and held meetings with business leaders, including Vincent Bolloré of the Bolloré Group, whose interests include Canal+, MultiChoice and Universal Music Group.

He also met with First HoldCo Chairman, Femi Otedola, on Monday.

Last week, Tinubu witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ogun State Government and DP World for the development of a Gateway Deep Seaport in Ogun Waterside and the creation of a Blue Marine Economic Zone.

According to the Presidency, DP World plans to invest $7 billion in the proposed seaport and economic zone.

An Allied Peoples Movement (APM) chieftain and public affairs analyst, Oluwaseun Adelore, has defended Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over his administration’s record of salary payments, infrastructure development and investment attraction.

Adelore made the remarks during an interview on Morning Brief, where he argued that the performance of state governors should be assessed within the context of changing revenues, the value of the naira and the rising cost of imported goods.

SEE ALSO: Presidency Blasts Makinde Over UN Probe Call on Oyo School Abduction

According to him, increased allocations from the Federation Account alone do not provide a complete picture of what state governments can achieve because the purchasing power of the naira has also changed.

“Okay, maybe I should take the last question first. The only thing you have not attached to all these things that you have enumerated is the value of Naira,” Adelore said.

“If FAAC goes up—now they are talking about subsidy money running into trillions, and the governors are getting it—what do they have to show for it? What is the value of Naira now compared to the time when Buhari was in power? You have to take that into consideration.”

The APM chieftain also pointed to Nigeria’s dependence on imported goods and its implications for capital projects being executed by state governments.

“Now, we are an import-dependent nation. We import everything—toothpick, everything. So if you have any capital projects going on, you are going to spend dollars in getting most of these things,” he said.

‘Makinde Never Owed Salary’

Turning to Makinde’s administration, Adelore said the governor had maintained salary payments despite fluctuations in FAAC allocations and the state’s internally generated revenue.

“And we are talking about Engineer Seyi Makinde that, never for once, owed a salary. Either FAAC increased, FAAC decreased, the IGR has been…” he said.

Adelore subsequently questioned how many governors across the country could point to a similar record over an extended period.

“You know, people must come around and ask for the magic wand. How many governors in the whole of this country have such an intimidating record for almost eight years?” he asked.

Explaining why he considered the record significant, Adelore said Oyo State has a substantial civil service population and therefore regular payment of salaries is particularly important.

“No, it is intimidating because Oyo State can be tagged as a civil servant state. Largely—it’s not like Lagos, it’s not like Ogun State,” he said.

He argued that although paying workers is a basic responsibility of government, salary arrears have become an issue in parts of Nigeria.

“Because you are saying that because anybody that works must get a salary. Now it’s become a big deal in Nigeria because salaries have been owed for several months,” Adelore said.

“We make everything… we create a mountain out of a molehill. That’s the kind of country that we have.”

Adelore Lists Makinde’s Other Achievements
Beyond salary payments, Adelore highlighted infrastructure as another area where he said Makinde’s administration had made an impact.

He particularly mentioned road construction and the opening up of communities across Oyo State.

“Oh, the special thing: roads. He has built many roads, opened up roads—many roads linking towns to villages in Oyo State,” Adelore said.

He also claimed that several farm settlements had been revamped under the governor while companies from outside Nigeria had expanded their presence in the state.

“And almost all the farm settlements, you understand, have been revamped through him. He’s done a lot. A whole lot of companies from outside Nigeria have made an inroad into Oyo State,” he added.

Adelore maintained that salary and pension payments should be considered alongside infrastructure and other government activities when assessing the performance of a state administration.

“So on that trajectory, if we are talking about achievements of any governor, you understand? Now, you cannot have a civil service that is being owed salaries, you cannot have pensioners’ money not being paid, and you think you have everything doing,” he said.

“He achieved that, you understand? In addition to many infrastructures.”

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has hailed the state’s strong performance in the 2026 National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination.

In a government house statement issued on Tuesday in Osogbo he described the result as a positive reflection of ongoing efforts to reposition education in the state.

Osun placed fifth nationally in the 2026 NECO ranking, with 74.31 percent of candidates recording at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, the statement pointed out.

While congratulating the students, teachers, parents, school administrators and other stakeholders, the governor noted that the state performance has been improving within a single digit rating for three consecutive years namely 2024, 2025 and 2026.

“Osun has moved from 33rd position in the 2022 NECO ranking to 5th in 2026, while improving its pass rate to 74.31 per cent. This is encouraging, and it shows that our sustained interventions in the education sector are yielding positive results,” the Governor said.

ALSO READ: Nigeria Looks to Local Refining for More Value from Crude

Gov Adeleke said the improved performance reflects his administration’s deliberate investment in the education sector, including the recruitment of additional teachers to strengthen the teaching workforce, while prioritising workers’ welfare and creating a more conducive environment for effective teaching and learning across public schools.

The Governor said the performance reinforces his administration’s determination to continue investing in education, noting that the objective is to build a system that gives every Osun child the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to succeed.

“This result is encouraging, but we see it as a reason to do more. We will continue to invest in our schools, improve the learning environment, support our teachers and provide our students with the necessary tools to excel.

“We are building an education system that prepares our young people not only for examinations but for life,” the Governor said.

He assured that ongoing interventions in the education sector would be sustained and expanded, while urging students to remain committed to their studies.

His Excellency also commended teachers across the state for their dedication and sacrifices, assuring them that the administration would continue to prioritise measures that strengthen the education system and improve workers’ welfare.