He was received by a mammoth crowd of enthusiastic associates and supporters who thronged the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja where his plane touched down.
The former Lagos governor was in company with his wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, and son, Seyi Tinubu.
*Says I’m refreshed for task ahead
Speaking to the crowd at the airport, the President-elect said: “I’m happy to be back. I have rested, I’m refreshed and I’m ready for the task ahead.”
“Forget about what the rumour mill may have told you. I’m strong, very strong.”
Asked about his plans for the country, he said he had been consulting and planning to put together a strong team so he could hit the ground running once he assumes office on May 29.
Among those at the airport to receive him were Vice President-elect Kashim Shettima, House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila as well as Governors Simon Lalong (Plateau) and Abubakar Sani-Bello (Niger), former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff.
Also at the airport were former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, APC Deputy National Chairman, North, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Deputy National Chairman, South, Barrister Emma Enekwu, and National Woman Leader, Dr. Betta Edu.
There were also Senators Barau Jibril, Adeola Yayi, Opeyemi Bamidele, Dayo Adeyeye, Sabi Abdullahi, and Adelere Oriolowo as well as Secretary of the recently-dissolved Presidential Campaign Council, Hon. James Faleke, Hon. Babajimi Benson and Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Director of media and publicity in the dissolved Presidential Campaign Council.
The President-elect left the country on March 21st for Paris on a vacation after a hectic campaign and election season.
A chieftain of the party, Ayobami Oyalowo, in a reaction to the expectations from the president-elect following his return, noted that the party would sit down and fashion out workable and agreeable decisions for the benefit of the nation.
He said, “The expectations are simple. The party will sit down with senior members of the party. The elected members of the party under the APC.
“I’m sure they will be able to fashion out workable and agreeable, equitable and fair. And also just to everyone concern. He is back and we will begin to see actions, all the lines falling in places, and then will now have a full sense of direction.
“There is nothing to worry about. We have been waiting for the Eagle to land and he has landed. And everybody will get what they deserve to get hopefully”, he noted.
Also reacting to Tinubu’s return, a former governor of Edo State and a renowned professor of law, Osarieme Osunbor, said the President-elect’s return has ceased all doubts and speculations surrounding his whereabouts.
“Now that the President-elect is back in Nigeria all doubts and speculations will cease and Nigerians will begin to look forward to his inauguration as President on May 29, 2023.
“Nigerians have every reason to expect with renewed hope the birthing of a new Nigeria that we promised during the campaigns.
“I remain confident that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu fully appreciates what Nigerians expect of him and that he will not disappoint,” he stated.
In a different reaction to the return of the president-elect, a former national youth leader of APC, Ahmed Ismael, who appeared on Channels TV Politics Today, said Tinubu was ready to hit the ground running once sworn in.
He said, “Well, I don’t know if there’s any silver bullet that will eliminate poverty immediately. On the first day, there’s nothing like that, you know, places like America where you get to deal with high levels of poverty in different sectors or different portions of their society as well. But let me tell you this. I think the President-elect understands that the job of a government is not to say give jobs to people directly.
“The job of a government is to create a conducive environment. So that jobs can be created and people can be employed. You know, he also understands and he always says this. You also understand that there is no way a large country like Nigeria would continue to run on a cash economy.
“So, if you want to buy a boat, if you want to buy a house, if you want to buy a motorcycle or a bicycle, for example, you would have to cough up 100 per cent of that cash and lay down before the owner will deliver it to you.”
