Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended his three-week vacation abroad by one week, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Tinubu, who left Nigeria on August 30, was expected to return last weekend. The Presidency announced that he would return home over the weekend, with Senator George Akume continuing to represent him in official functions.
The extension has raised questions over the president's stay abroad beyond 21 days without transmitting a letter to the National Assembly as provided in the constitution. Section 145 (1) of the 1999 Constitution states that the president must transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives if he is proceeding on vacation or unable to discharge his duties.
According to the constitution, if the president fails to transmit the written declaration within 21 days, the National Assembly can mandate the Vice-President to perform the functions of the president as Acting President. The extension has sparked debate over whether Tinubu has fulfilled this constitutional requirement. Efforts to find out from the National Assembly if the president transmitted the letter yielded no result.
Previous presidents have set precedents for transmitting letters to the National Assembly before proceeding on vacation. In 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari sent a letter to the National Assembly before proceeding on vacation, with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo performing the functions of the president. Similar letters were sent by Buhari in 2017 when he proceeded on leave.
The situation is different in this case, as the National Assembly is currently in recess. Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the Senate spokesperson, did not respond to calls to comment on the matter. A source at the Senate said it would be difficult to find out if the president transmitted any letter.
This is not the first time Tinubu has extended his stay abroad without making it public. In April 2024, he left Abuja for the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia, with expectations that he would return after a World Economic Forum meeting. However, he did not return as expected, fuelling speculations about his whereabouts.
The Presidency has not provided reasons for Tinubu's extended stay abroad. Attempts to get a reaction from the Presidency on whether Tinubu transmitted a letter to the National Assembly or why he did not were unsuccessful.
Key points
- President Tinubu's extended vacation abroad raises questions over his compliance with the Nigerian constitution.
- The constitution requires the president to transmit a written declaration to the National Assembly if he is away for more than 21 days.
- Previous presidents have set precedents for transmitting letters to the National Assembly before proceeding on vacation.
