President Bola Tinubu arrived in Abuja on Monday evening from Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, where he attended the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The Nigerian leader’s NAF 001 Boeing 737 jet touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at around 06:30 pm local time. Tinubu was then taken to his Maitama residence, as he has yet to move into his official residence despite being in office for over a month.
During the ECOWAS meeting on Sunday, President Tinubu was unanimously endorsed as the new Chairman of the regional organization. Accepting the honor on behalf of Nigeria, he committed to fulfilling the responsibilities of the office and ensuring an inclusive administration. However, Tinubu expressed deep concern about the escalating levels of terrorism and coup d’état in West Africa, emphasizing the need for urgent collective action to address these challenges.
Tinubu called for concerted efforts to combat insecurity, highlighting its adverse impact on the progress and development of the sub-region. He also urged ECOWAS to stand firm in defending democracy and condemned the trend of military coups in West Africa. Tinubu emphasized the importance of strengthening democratic institutions, respecting human rights, and upholding the rule of law. His one-year tenure as ECOWAS Chairman aims to enhance engagements with countries in transition, such as Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso, to facilitate their swift return to democratic governance.
Notably, President Tinubu’s visit to Guinea-Bissau marked his second international trip since assuming office on May 29, 2023. Previously, he attended the summit for “A New Global Financing Pact” in Paris, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron from June 22-23. Following that, Tinubu embarked on a private visit to London from June 24-27, during which he reportedly met with his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari. As of now, President Tinubu has spent a total of 10 days abroad.
