Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s continued absence from Nigeria, insisting that there is no vacancy in the Presidency and that the President remains in charge of the country.
Akpabio spoke on Tuesday in Akwa Ibom State amid renewed public debate over Tinubu’s extended stay in Europe and the simultaneous absence of Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is currently in New York representing Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The Senate President said he was not acting President because Tinubu remained in power and continued to direct the affairs of the country from abroad.
“Right now, there is no vacancy. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is still in power, and he is still running the affairs of Nigeria,” Akpabio said.
According to him, technological developments have made it possible for a president to communicate instructions and coordinate government activities regardless of his physical location.
Akpabio also cited Tinubu’s meetings and engagements while abroad as evidence that the President had remained active in the administration of the country.
He noted that Tinubu had met French President Emmanuel Macron during his stay in France and had continued to communicate with officials in Nigeria.
The Presidency announced on Monday that Tinubu had extended his working vacation by a few days and was expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend. The President departed the country on August 30 for London before travelling to Paris, where he held meetings with Macron and businessman Vincent Bollore.
The State House said Tinubu had continued to direct government affairs while abroad, citing, among other decisions, his order for an independent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners detained by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State.
Shettima, meanwhile, left Nigeria on September 20 to represent the President at the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York. The Presidency said the Vice President was carrying Tinubu’s full mandate and would deliver Nigeria’s national statement at the international gathering.
Akpabio’s comments came against the backdrop of questions from opposition figures concerning who is constitutionally exercising presidential authority while both Tinubu and Shettima are outside the country.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has specifically questioned whether Tinubu transmitted a written declaration under Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution before proceeding on his extended vacation. The constitutional provision deals with situations where the President proceeds on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office.
The Presidency has maintained that Tinubu remains in control and continues to perform his responsibilities from abroad. Presidential aide Daniel Bwala similarly argued that the President’s constitutional powers are not limited by geography and that he can direct, delegate and administer government affairs while outside Nigeria.
However, the issue has continued to generate political debate. The African Democratic Congress, through its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, questioned the constitutional basis for government representation while both the President and Vice President are abroad. The ADC called for greater clarity on the constitutional arrangement.
Akpabio, however, rejected the suggestion that his position as Senate President meant he had assumed presidential responsibilities.
He said Tinubu remained the President of Nigeria and would return to the country to continue his official duties, including commissioning presidential projects.
The debate over Tinubu’s absence is therefore centred on the constitutional implications of prolonged presidential travel and the distinction between continuing to exercise presidential powers remotely and formally transferring presidential functions to the Vice President.
For now, the Presidency maintains that Tinubu remains in charge and is expected back in Nigeria at the weekend, while political figures continue to question the constitutional procedures surrounding his extended absence.
