Dino Melaye Mocks Tinubu Over Three-Week Europe Vacation, Questions Timing of Presidential Leave

Former Kogi West Senator and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Dino Melaye has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to embark on a three-week vacation in Europe, questioning the length and timing of the President’s absence from Nigeria.

Melaye’s criticism came shortly after the Presidency announced that Tinubu had departed Abuja for Europe as part of his annual leave, with London, United Kingdom, listed as his first destination.

The President’s three-week vacation is coming at a politically significant period, with Nigeria already moving deeper into preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Melaye takes aim at Tinubu’s vacation

Reacting to the President’s departure, Melaye used his social media platform to mock Tinubu over the duration of the leave.

The ADC chieftain questioned whether a Nigerian president should spend three weeks outside the country and directed a remark at Tinubu concerning his age.

Melaye wrote on X that only Tinubu could leave the country for three weeks in the circumstances, adding that old age cannot be treated but can only be managed.

The statement was clearly framed as political criticism and should not be interpreted as independent evidence about the President’s age or medical condition.

Presidency confirms three-week annual leave

The Presidency had earlier announced that Tinubu would spend three weeks in Europe as part of his annual vacation.

Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu departed Abuja on Sunday, August 30, 2026, with London as his first stop.

According to the Presidency, Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria after the vacation and participate in the campaign activities ahead of the January 2027 general elections.

Details of the President’s full itinerary during the three-week period have not been publicly disclosed.

The Presidency has described the trip as a working vacation, suggesting that the leave does not necessarily mean a complete halt to presidential activities.

Why the timing has attracted political attention

The controversy surrounding Tinubu’s vacation is largely connected to the political calendar.

The 2027 election campaign period is already underway, and political parties are intensifying their activities ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.

Tinubu is seeking another term in office under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while opposition parties are also positioning their candidates for the presidential contest.

Consequently, the President’s decision to take an extended annual leave at this stage has provided opposition politicians with an opportunity to question the timing, even though the Presidency says he will return to participate in the election campaign.

Atiku’s separate claim about Tinubu’s age

Melaye’s comments have also drawn attention because they came shortly after another senior ADC figure, Atiku Abubakar, made a controversial claim about Tinubu’s age.

In a BBC interview published on August 28, Atiku claimed that Tinubu is 90 years old and said he had evidence that he would present in court.

However, Atiku has not publicly produced the evidence he referred to.

Available public records currently identify Tinubu’s date of birth as March 29, 1952, which would make him 74 years old in 2026. The State House also recognised Tinubu’s 74th birthday in March 2026.

There have been historical discrepancies in some documents relating to Tinubu’s date of birth, including records associated with Chicago State University. However, the dates identified in those records do not establish that the President is 90 years old.

For that reason, claims about Tinubu being 90 should currently be attributed to Atiku rather than reported as an established fact.

What happens when Tinubu returns?

The immediate political significance of the vacation will likely be measured by what follows the President’s return.

The Presidency has indicated that Tinubu will return to Nigeria to join the campaign activities ahead of the 2027 election. His return will therefore coincide with an increasingly competitive political environment as parties seek to strengthen their national structures and campaign narratives.

For now, the main confirmed facts are that Tinubu has commenced a three-week annual leave in Europe, London is his first destination, and the Presidency expects him to return to Nigeria for the next phase of the 2027 campaign.

Melaye’s remarks, meanwhile, represent political criticism of the President’s decision and the timing of his absence rather than independently established evidence concerning Tinubu’s age or health.