The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Osodi, has dismissed claims that Tinubu's decision to miss the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York was due to strained relations with the United States. Osodi described the claim as an "old chestnut" and pointed out that Tinubu had previously visited the US and maintained engagements with American institutions and officials.
Osodi revealed that he personally accompanied Tinubu during one of his previous visits to the United Nations and witnessed the President's activities in New York. He mentioned that Tinubu had also recently transited through Los Angeles while traveling to Japan, where the President and his delegation spent several days in the US before continuing their journey.
The Presidency had announced that Vice President Kashim Shettima would represent Nigeria and lead the country's delegation to the annual gathering of world leaders in New York. Osodi defended the decision, stating that Tinubu was focusing on domestic priorities, particularly the economy and security. He emphasized that Nigeria's interests would still be advanced at the international level through various avenues of engagement.
Osodi stressed that Nigeria's participation in regional and continental groups, such as the BRICS, would not be affected by Tinubu's absence from the UNGA. He added that the country would still be adequately represented at the UNGA through its Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim, and other members of the Nigerian delegation.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has demanded an explanation for Tinubu's third consecutive absence from the UNGA. Atiku described the UNGA as a crucial platform for world leaders to promote their countries' diplomatic, political, and economic interests. He acknowledged that Shettima could represent Nigeria but argued that delegation-level representation was different from the President personally attending the meeting.
Atiku questioned why Tinubu would miss the meeting after arrangements had been made for the Nigerian President to sit close to US President Joe Biden, not Donald Trump as previously reported. Atiku's statement has added to the controversy surrounding Tinubu's absence from the 81st UNGA and the significance of presidential participation in high-level diplomatic engagements.
The debate over Tinubu's absence from the UNGA highlights the challenges of balancing domestic priorities with international diplomatic engagements. While the Presidency maintains that Nigeria's interests will be properly represented by Shettima and the country's diplomatic team, critics continue to question the decision to keep Tinubu away from the gathering for the third consecutive year.
Key points
- - Nigeria's presidency defends President Tinubu's absence from the 81st UNGA, citing domestic priorities. - Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar demands an explanation for Tinubu's third consecutive absence from the UNGA. - The controversy raises questions about the significance of presidential participation in high-level diplomatic engagements.
