Senate President Godswill Akpabio has defended President Bola Tinubu's extended stay outside Nigeria, saying the president remains in charge and is using his time abroad to do things he cannot do in Nigeria. Akpabio made these comments in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, while commissioning a road project as part of activities marking the state's 29th anniversary. The event was attended by Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom and other political leaders and government officials.
Akpabio's comments were in response to a recent post by the Akwa Ibom State Government on its official Facebook page describing him as the "Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria." He rejected the description, saying Tinubu remains in office. Akpabio emphasized that he is the Senate president and chairman of the National Assembly, not the acting president, because the president is still in power.
The Presidency has described Tinubu's trip as a working leave and said he has continued to direct government affairs while abroad. During the trip, Tinubu travelled to London and later Paris, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and France. He also met French businessman Vincent Bolloré over potential investments in Nigeria's creative and digital economy.
These engagements show that the president has continued official activities while abroad. However, they do not explain Akpabio's specific assertion that the president is doing abroad what he "cannot do" in Nigeria. If the Senate president was referring to diplomatic engagements, what exactly prevents such engagements from being conducted in Nigeria or through other official channels?
The question is significant because Akpabio is not merely another politician defending the president. As Senate president and chairman of the National Assembly, his comments carry considerable political weight. His intervention came amid public discussion over Tinubu's prolonged absence from Nigeria. Vice-President Kashim Shettima has also travelled abroad to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Meanwhile, some members of the House of Representatives operating under the banner of the Save Democracy Group (SDG), have called on the National Assembly to reconvene and determine whether Shettima should assume the functions of president in the absence of President Bola Tinubu. The group made the call in a statement on Wednesday and signed by its leaders, Awaji-Inombek Abiante and Abubakar Kusada.
The call follows the expiration of the 21-day period provided under Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution within which the president should be on leave. For now, the Senate President's attempt to correct one impression has created another question that demands an answer: What exactly is President Tinubu doing abroad that he cannot do in Nigeria?
Key points
- Akpabio's comments have raised questions about what President Tinubu is doing abroad that he cannot do in Nigeria.
- The Presidency has described Tinubu's trip as a working leave and said he has continued to direct government affairs while abroad.
- Some lawmakers have called on the National Assembly to reconvene and determine whether Vice-President Shettima should assume the functions of president.
