Tinubu Missing Again as Akpabio Commissions Landmark Projects in Lagos

For the second day in a row, President Bola Tinubu was noticeably absent from the commissioning of major projects in Lagos, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio stepping in to represent him once again.

The absence, which happened on Thursday, April 9, 2026, has set tongues wagging across the country, especially given that the President is currently in Lagos and extensive preparations — including traffic diversions that caused hours of gridlock in Ikeja, Maryland, and Ojota — had been made for his attendance.

On the second day of the two-day commissioning exercise, Akpabio, alongside Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other top officials, unveiled the fully regenerated Tolu Schools Complex in Olodi-Apapa, Ajegunle. The sprawling complex now features 36 schools with 12 new classroom blocks, each containing 18 classrooms, a four-story vocational and skills acquisition centre, a fully functional Fire Service Station, an ICT complex, a standard AstroTurf football pitch, a Primary Healthcare Facility, athletics track, multipurpose courts, and spectator bleachers.

The day before, Akpabio had inaugurated the Opebi-Mende-Ojota Link Bridge, the Lagos State Multi-agency Complex (now named Bola Ahmed Administrative Complex, or BATAC), and the Lagos Geographic Information Service (LAGIS) Office in Alausa, Ikeja.

When asked about the President’s absence, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, said Tinubu was prioritising security matters.

“In the last 10 days, right from the developments in Jos, the president has been busy taking constant briefs, and he has to prioritise when it comes to state matters, especially security,” Dare said during an appearance on Channels Television. “He is in Lagos monitoring the development, working with the intelligence community, and taking constant security briefs.”

But many Nigerians aren’t buying the explanation. The optics of a president skipping his own projects’ commissioning — in his home state no less — have fuelled speculation about his health and capacity to govern. Social media has been ablaze with commentary, with critics arguing that if the President is well enough to be in Lagos, he should be well enough to attend scheduled events.

Governor Sanwo-Olu described the projects as transformative for Lagos, noting they would ease traffic congestion, improve land administration, and strengthen public service delivery. On his X page, he wrote: “The joy and excitement is the reason why we do the work we do. Every child in Ajeromi-Ifelodun deserves a safe, modern, and inspiring place to learn.”

Whether the projects speak for themselves or the President’s continued absence becomes the bigger story remains to be seen.