President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has remained in France as world leaders gather in New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, leaving Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent Nigeria at the global diplomatic forum.
Tinubu’s prolonged stay in France has triggered fresh political controversy, coming after the President embarked on a European trip that has lasted more than three weeks.
The President initially departed Nigeria on August 30 for London, where the Presidency said he would undertake a working vacation. He subsequently moved to Paris, his second major European stop, and later extended his stay.
With Shettima now in New York leading Nigeria’s delegation to the UNGA, questions have continued to emerge over Tinubu’s decision to remain in France rather than personally attend the gathering of world leaders.
The development has also provided fresh ammunition for critics who have questioned the President’s repeated preference for France since assuming office in 2023.
Tinubu has maintained a close diplomatic relationship with French President Emmanuel Macron and has visited France several times since becoming President. Macron recently hosted Tinubu for a private dinner in Paris during the President’s current European stay.
But the political controversy intensified after opposition voices began linking Tinubu’s absence from the United States to allegations that he could face legal difficulties if he travelled there.
African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has alleged that Tinubu stayed away from the United States because of fears of arrest. That allegation remains unproven.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, has disputed suggestions that Tinubu faced any restriction from entering the United States, saying the Nigerian Mission had received no notification of such a restriction.
The Presidency has similarly maintained that Tinubu’s European stay is a working vacation and that the President remains in charge of government, communicating with officials and receiving updates on developments at home.
Nevertheless, the optics have become difficult to ignore: while Nigeria’s Vice President is in New York participating in the UNGA, the President remains thousands of kilometres away in France.
The situation has also revived debate over Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for the transmission of presidential functions when a President is proceeding on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of office.
For critics, Tinubu’s extended stay abroad raises questions about presidential priorities and accountability. For the Presidency, it remains a legitimate working vacation during which the President continues to discharge his responsibilities.
The political argument is therefore unlikely to disappear soon, particularly as the 2027 elections draw closer and every presidential decision is increasingly subjected to political scrutiny.
For now, Shettima is carrying Nigeria’s flag at the United Nations, while Tinubu remains in France — a development that has once again placed the President’s foreign travel and relationship with France at the centre of public debate.
