The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed concerns over the simultaneous absence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima from Nigeria. The party's National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, raised the issues on Channels Television's Politics Today, arguing that the situation has created a constitutional question over the exercise of presidential authority. Abdullahi questioned who is constitutionally in charge of the country while both leaders are abroad.
According to Abdullahi, the situation should be considered against the provisions of Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for the transfer of presidential functions to the Vice President when the President is proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office. However, the ADC spokesperson argued that the Constitution does not provide for an indefinite "working vacation" arrangement that would allow the President to remain outside the country without a formal transfer of presidential functions.
Abdullahi challenged the Federal Government's explanation that Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, was coordinating affairs while Tinubu was on a working vacation in France. He asked if the SGF is now the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and who has the authority to direct the Nigerian Army in case of an invasion.
The ADC spokesperson also questioned the role being assigned to the SGF in the absence of both the President and Vice President, arguing that the SGF is a presidential appointee and not part of the constitutional line of presidential succession. He faulted the National Assembly for not intervening, saying lawmakers should consider reconvening to address what he described as an important constitutional matter.
Abdullahi drew a comparison with the circumstances surrounding the prolonged illness of former President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, which preceded the constitutional amendment establishing a procedure for transferring presidential functions during temporary absence. He said the current situation is different because both Tinubu and Shettima are outside the country, with the Vice President in New York representing the President at the United Nations.
Abdullahi said the ADC is examining possible legal options over the situation, including the constitutional implications of the President's absence. He maintained that his position is based on publicly available information and not speculation about the President's activities while abroad. The ADC is also concerned about electoral violence ahead of the 2027 general elections and what it described as the wider implications of the Federal Government's policies.
The situation has sparked a national debate, with many Nigerians questioning the implications of the President's prolonged absence. As the country waits for clarity on the matter, the ADC has called for the National Assembly to reconvene and address the constitutional issues raised by the President's absence. The party's concerns have also sparked a renewed call for the need for clear guidelines on presidential succession and the exercise of presidential authority during temporary absences.
Key points
- The African Democratic Congress questions the simultaneous absence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
- The party seeks clarity on who is constitutionally in charge of Nigeria while both leaders are abroad.
- The ADC has called for the National Assembly to reconvene and address the constitutional issues raised by the President's absence.
