The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has openly challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to offer a clear explanation for his mysterious five-day absence after his presence at the 2025 BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This demand comes amid mounting worries about openness and accountability in the present government, particularly given Nigeria’s continued security issues and economic woes.
President Tinubu left Nigeria on June 28, 2025, beginning a two-nation official tour to St. Lucia and Brazil. He participated in the 17th BRICS Summit held on July 6 and 7 in Rio de Janeiro. However, once the meeting was completed, the president’s whereabouts remained unknown to the Nigerian people for five days until he emerged in Abuja in the early hours of Sunday, July 13, without any official message or briefing from the presidency explaining the delay in his return.
In a statement published on Sunday, ADC spokeswoman Bolaji Abdullahi voiced the party’s dissatisfaction and disappointment over the president’s silence. Abdullahi noted that, unlike other international leaders who swiftly went home, informed their people, and began official responsibilities following the meeting, President Tinubu’s absence was noticeable and inexplicable. He characterized the five-day delay as “significant in the life of a country,” especially one coping with serious security challenges and a frail economy.
The ADC’s statement stated in part: “Since the summit ended on Monday, July 7th, all the other world leaders who were in attendance returned home, briefed their citizens, and got back to work. But our President? He only emerged in Abuja in the early hours of Sunday, July 13—without a word, without a briefing, or any explanation as to why his return to the country had been delayed. A full five days is crucial in the life of a nation, particularly a country like ours contending with multiple existential crises of insecurity and a tottering economy that has made life tougher for the majority of Nigerians.”
The ADC also highlighted that the president was not on vacation but on an official job, which makes the lack of explanation for his absence even more unsatisfactory. The party requested that President Tinubu come clean about his travel during those missing days and offer Nigerians the transparency they deserve.
This is not the first time President Tinubu’s frequent absences from public view have raised questions. The ADC underlined a trend of mysterious disappearances since Tinubu gained power. For instance, in January 2024, a so-called “private visit” to France prolonged into a two-week absence without any official images or announcements. In April 2024, after attending the World Economic Forum in the Netherlands and Riyadh, Tinubu stayed quiet for nine days after the summit’s conclusion. Similarly, in August and September 2024, after flying to China and then London, he withdrew from public view for six days with no explanation or contact with the National Assembly.
The opposition party termed this reoccurring lack of responsibility as a “distinct hallmark of disdain for accountability” inside the Tinubu government. It cautioned that such strange disappearances without explanation damage Nigeria’s reputation both locally and globally, weakening trust in the president and administration.
The ADC’s appeal for openness comes at a crucial moment when Nigerians are increasingly apprehensive about the country’s deteriorating insecurity, economic challenges, and the need for strong, visible leadership. The party stated that the president’s inexplicable absence during such a key moment raises significant doubts about the administration’s commitment to transparency and its capacity to handle the country’s urgent problems efficiently.
In response to the ADC’s challenge, the Nigerian Presidency has so far stayed mute, providing no official explanation for the president’s delayed return or his activities during the five-day hiatus. This silence has only fostered suspicion and condemnation from political opponents, civic society, and the public at large.
Political commentators say that the lack of transparency about the president’s movements undermines the foundations of democratic government and accountability. They say that in an age when openness is crucial to creating confidence between government and society, such inexplicable absences may create a vacuum filled with rumors and disinformation, which ultimately affects national stability.
The ADC’s demand for an explanation is also a reminder of the need for prompt communication from the president, particularly while the head of Africa’s most populous country is away on official duties. The party maintains that President Tinubu owes Nigerians a responsibility to offer clarification on his locations and actions over those five days, to comfort the people and retain trust in the leadership.
As Nigeria continues to confront tremendous challenges—including insurgency in the northeast, banditry in the northwest, economic inflation, and social unrest—the demand for visible and responsible leadership has never been higher. The ADC’s public appeal underlines the importance for President Tinubu to address these issues honestly and restore public confidence.
The African Democratic Congress has given a “weary welcome” to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu upon his return but believes that the president must explain his inexplicable five-day absence after the BRICS meeting. The party’s demand echoes larger popular opinion about the importance of transparency and responsibility from the highest office in Nigeria, particularly during times of national crises. Until such answers are offered, suspicions and complaints regarding the administration’s openness and commitment to good governance are likely to continue.
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