Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has asked the Presidency and the National Assembly to clarify who is constitutionally exercising the powers of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following the expiration of the 21-day period announced for the President’s annual vacation.

Recall that Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for a three-week annual vacation in Europe. The President’s absence coincided with Vice President Kashim Shettima’s official engagements outside the country, including his current representation of Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a personally signed statement on Monday, Atiku argued that the expiration of the 21-day period had raised questions under Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution regarding the transfer of presidential powers.

Section 145(1) provides for the President to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives when proceeding on vacation extending beyond a specified period or when otherwise unable to perform the functions of his office.

Atiku said Nigerians had not been shown any such declaration transferring presidential functions to Shettima.

“President Tinubu left Nigeria on 30 August. The Presidency publicly announced a three-week vacation. Yet, to date, Nigerians have not been shown any constitutional letter transmitting presidential authority to Vice President Kashim Shettima.

“The 21 days have now elapsed. If such a letter exists, the Presidency should publish it immediately,” Atiku said.

The 2027 African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, said the constitutional provision also addresses a situation where the President fails to transmit the required declaration.

He referred to Section 145(2), which provides that where the President is unable or fails to transmit the declaration within 21 days, the National Assembly can, by a simple majority in each chamber, mandate the Vice President to perform the functions of President as Acting President.

Atiku therefore asked the National Assembly to explain whether the constitutional procedure had been activated.

“If it does not, then the constitutional mechanism contemplated by Section 145(2) has been triggered, and the National Assembly owes Nigerians an explanation as to why it has not acted.

“This is not a matter of political convenience. It is a matter of constitutional order,” he said.

Atiku further drew attention to Shettima’s presence in New York, where he is leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st United Nations General Assembly based on the President’s directive.

Atiku said the situation raised a question about who was exercising presidential authority in Nigeria and under what constitutional instrument.

“So again: who is exercising presidential authority in Nigeria today, and under what constitutional instrument?” he asked.

The former Vice President also criticised what he described as reliance on informal indications of presidential activity while the President remains abroad.

“Nigeria cannot be governed by assumptions. It cannot be governed by presidential social-media posts from Europe.

“It cannot be governed by photographs from private dinners at the Élysée Palace.

“It cannot be governed on autopilot,” he said.

Atiku also said President Tinubu should be in the country at a time like this, linking his concerns to recent domestic developments in the country, including the deaths of 37 Nigerians in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna.

He said the incident had led to investigations, suspensions and calls for independent scrutiny.

He also raised concerns about petrol prices, claiming that the product was selling for as much as ₦1,500 per litre in some parts of the country.

“These are not ordinary times. Yet the President is abroad. The Vice President is abroad.

“The Senate President is abroad. And Nigerians have not been told, in the clear constitutional language required of a serious democracy, who is exercising the powers of the President,” Atiku said.

Atiku acknowledged the diplomatic significance of Tinubu’s private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris but argued that Nigeria’s governance responsibilities could not be suspended while the President was abroad.

“President Tinubu’s private dinner with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris may serve diplomatic purposes. But Nigeria itself cannot be placed on vacation.

“The Constitution does not recognise a ‘working vacation’ as an alternative system of presidential succession.

“It provides a procedure. That procedure must be obeyed,” he argued.

Atiku consequently called on the Presidency to disclose whether Tinubu transmitted the declaration required under Section 145(1) before leaving Nigeria.

He also asked the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to state whether they received such a communication.

“If no declaration was transmitted within the constitutionally stipulated period, the National Assembly must explain why the procedure provided by Section 145(2) has not been activated,” he said.

Atiku concluded that the issue was bigger than the President’s personal movements, arguing that Nigerians were entitled to know who was constitutionally responsible for the exercise of presidential powers.

“Nigeria is bigger than any President.

“At a time of severe economic hardship, rising energy costs, security challenges and the shocking deaths of citizens in government custody, the country deserves visible, accountable and constitutionally grounded leadership.

“The question will not disappear: Who, constitutionally, is in charge of Nigeria?” Atiku questioned.

President Bola Tinubu has celebrated his wife, Oluremi, on her 66th birthday, describing her as his “truest friend and confidante”.

In a birthday tribute to the First Lady on his verified X handle on Monday, Tinubu praised her patience, courage, compassion and unwavering support throughout their years together.

The President, who described Oluremi as the woman who had stood by him through different seasons of his life, said she had shared his burdens and provided counsel during difficult moments.

“Today, I celebrate the woman who has walked beside me with patience, grace and uncommon courage. Àwọn àgbà sọ pé, ‘Ìyàwó rere ni adé ọkọ rẹ̀.’ A good wife is her husband’s crown,” he said.

Tinubu said Oluremi had given practical meaning to the biblical description of a virtuous woman, adding that she had remained a source of strength and understanding to him.

“The burdens that were mine to bear often found their way onto your shoulders. The thoughts I could not put into words somehow found their way to you.

“In difficult times, when the future was uncertain, you stayed calm beside me and prayed with me,” he stated.

The President described the First Lady as his “truest friend and confidante”, saying she was never afraid to offer him honest counsel.

“I call you my truest friend and confidante because you speak the truth plainly, even on the days I would rather not hear it,” Tinubu said.

He also praised Oluremi for her role in raising their children and grandchildren, saying her values of faith and kindness had shaped the family.

“Our home bears the lasting imprint of your devotion. Our children and grandchildren have grown beneath the shelter of your prayers. They carry your values of faith and kindness wherever life takes them,” he said.

Tinubu also highlighted the First Lady’s humanitarian activities, recalling her work through the New Era Foundation and the Renewed Hope Initiative.

“Nigerians know you for your compassion, kindness, generosity of spirit and steadfast faith. I have watched you touch lives quietly and consistently, offering hope and support to those in need,” he said.

He added that her initiatives had supported young people, widows, elderly citizens and women farmers across the country.

“From the New Era Foundation during our years in the saddle in Lagos to the Renewed Hope Initiative today, your care has reached many young boys and girls, widows, elderly citizens, and women farmers across the country,” the President stated.

Tinubu also acknowledged Oluremi’s advocacy for people affected by tuberculosis and other diseases, describing her as a compassionate advocate and determined champion.

He said her compassion transcended ethnic, regional and religious boundaries.

“For you, compassion has never recognised the boundaries of tribe, region or religion,” he said.

Reflecting on their years together, Tinubu said their shared experiences, including difficult decisions and sacrifices, had strengthened their relationship.

“A long journey teaches a man the true value of a good partner. We have travelled a long road together. I think of the difficult decisions we talked through for hours and the sacrifices no one else saw.

“Laughter and prayer carried us through many of them,” he said.

The President said he would choose Oluremi again if given the opportunity to relive his life.

“If life returned me to the beginning, I would choose the same road that led me to you. Through every mile, my heart has always remained at home with you,” Tinubu said.

The President wished the First Lady many more years in good health and happiness.

“Happy 66th birthday, my darling Oluremi. I pray that God Almighty will grant you many more years in good health and joy,” he said.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar demanded explanation as to why Tinubu had been repeatedly absent from UNGA, asking whether the president’s documented history with United States law-enforcement agencies has become a burden on Nigeria’s foreign relations.

In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Tinubu stayed away from the 79th UNGA session in 2024, the 80th in 2025, and now the 81st in 2026, repeatedly sending Shettima to stand in for him.

The former vice president said three consecutive absences could no longer be dismissed as coincidence or routine delegation but constituted a pattern of presidential evasion requiring an honest explanation.

He stated, “The United Nations General Assembly is one of the world’s most important diplomatic gatherings. It brings together the representatives of the UN’s 193 member states and provides a unique platform for presidents and prime ministers to defend their countries’ interests, negotiate partnerships and shape global decisions on trade, security and development.

“Vice President Shettima may represent Nigeria capably, but representation by delegation cannot permanently substitute for the personal authority, visibility and responsibility of the president.

“Tinubu cannot continue to treat Nigeria’s seat at the world’s biggest diplomatic table as though it were an inconvenient appointment that can be endlessly outsourced.

“Presidential absence on the global stage has consequences. UNGA is not merely a ceremonial gathering or an annual photo opportunity.

“Its side-lines are where leaders hold decisive bilateral meetings, court investors, negotiate trade partnerships, mobilise development finance and make the case for their countries.”

Atiku added, “When a president makes himself absent from that stage for three consecutive years, his country loses opportunities. Investment does not follow silence. International capital does not pursue a country whose leader repeatedly abandons the room in which consequential economic relationships are being built.

“The cost is eventually transferred to ordinary citizens: fewer investments mean fewer businesses and fewer jobs. Reduced capital inflows place additional pressure on the local currency.

“A weaker naira raises the cost of imports, production, transportation and food. These are among the economic pressures now punishing Nigerian families through the worst cost-of-living crisis in living memory.
“Tinubu may consider attending UNGA a matter of personal prerogative, but the economic and diplomatic consequences of his absence are being paid by Nigerians. A President may surrender his seat, but a nation cannot escape the bill.”