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President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja after attending the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome, Italy.
He arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 6:50 p.m. on Tuesday and was received at the presidential wing by senior government officials, including Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike.
National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, also joined in receiving the president.
Tinubu left Abuja for Rome on Saturday following an official invitation to attend the papal inauguration.
While speaking on the sidelines of the ceremony, the president urged Nigerians to embrace national diversity as a source of unity and development. He also called on leaders across all levels to prioritise the welfare of the people.
Tinubu described the moment as historic, noting that it was significant to be Nigeria’s president during the inauguration of a new pope in Rome.
In other news, United States President Donald Trump has invited Pope Leo XIV to visit the White House, with Vice President JD Vance on Monday handing over a letter from Trump to the first American pontiff.
“The vice president passed along a letter to the pope from the president and from the First Lady,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, adding Trump hoped the visit would happen as soon as possible.
Vice President Vance will lead a U.S. delegation to Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural mass in Vatican City on Sunday, his office announced Thursday.
