The Presidency of Nigeria has reacted to comments made by Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, regarding President Bola Tinubu's absence at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, in New York. President Tinubu's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated that Obi was pretending to be unaware of Tinubu's whereabouts. Onanuga's remarks were made in response to concerns raised about Tinubu's absence at the UNGA.
According to Onanuga, two other prominent African leaders, South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa and Egypt's Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, were also absent from the UNGA, but their countries did not experience significant backlash. Onanuga noted that Ramaphosa had booked himself off public engagements, while el-Sisi did not attend the UNGA at all. He emphasized that neither Johannesburg nor Pretoria reacted strongly to Ramaphosa's absence, and Egypt remained calm despite el-Sisi's non-attendance.
Onanuga further explained that President Tinubu had informed the public that he would be taking his yearly break and had asked Vice President Kashim Shettima to attend to official duties in his place. He expressed surprise that Peter Obi and his supporters were raising concerns about Tinubu's whereabouts, describing their questions as "silly." Onanuga also mentioned that Tinubu would return to Nigeria to celebrate the country's 66th Independence Anniversary and to honor MKO Abiola.
Vice President Kashim Shettima represented President Tinubu at the 81st UNGA in New York. During his absence, Shettima attended the assembly and participated in various events. Meanwhile, President Tinubu is scheduled to return to Nigeria from France on September 29, 2026, having initially planned to return over the weekend. However, the presidency confirmed a last-minute adjustment to his travel plans.
According to the presidency, President Tinubu will spend up to a week in Lagos before heading back to Abuja. His return to Nigeria is highly anticipated, especially with the country set to celebrate its 66th Independence Anniversary. The presidency has assured that Tinubu's absence does not affect his ability to rule the country, emphasizing that he can effectively govern Nigeria from anywhere.
The reaction from the presidency comes amid concerns raised by various stakeholders about President Tinubu's health and ability to govern. Recently, resident doctors gave Tinubu a two-week ultimatum, threatening to go on strike if their demands are not met. The presidency has, however, maintained that Tinubu is in good health and capable of discharging his duties effectively.
The development is likely to further intensify the debate about President Tinubu's leadership and his ability to govern Nigeria effectively. As the country prepares to celebrate its 66th Independence Anniversary, the presidency has urged Nigerians to remain calm and assured that Tinubu will return to Nigeria to lead the celebrations.
Key points
- Peter Obi was accused of pretending to be unaware of President Tinubu's whereabouts during his absence at the UNGA.
- Two other African leaders, Cyril Ramaphosa and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, were also absent from the UNGA without significant backlash in their countries.
- President Tinubu is scheduled to return to Nigeria on September 29, 2026, and will spend up to a week in Lagos before heading back to Abuja.
