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By Victor Osula, Abuja
Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has raised the constitutional grounds for President Bola Tinubu’s continued absence from the country.
President Tinubu on August 30, 2026, traveled to the United Kingdom and France, where he is currently on, what the presidency described as, a three-week working holiday as part of his annual leave.
“It has been twenty-one days since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu left Nigeria for what the presidency described as an annual three-week vacation,” Abubakar asked, adding “Nigerians today have the right to ask a very simple constitutional question: Who is in charge of Nigeria?
Section 145 of the Constitution is unambiguous regarding presidential vacancies. Provides that whenever the President goes on vacation, he shall transmit a written statement to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, whereupon the Vice President shall exercise the duties of the President as Acting President.’
Continuing, the former vice president argued that if the president fails to submit such a declaration within 21 days, the Constitution provides for an additional protection: the National Assembly entrusts the president’s duties to the president as acting president.
President Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30. The Presidency has publicly announced a three-week vacation. Yet, to date, Nigerians have not been shown any constitutional letter conveying presidential authority to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The 21 days have now passed. If such a letter exists, the Presidency should publish it immediately, Abubakar asked.
If not, he said, then the constitutional mechanism contemplated by Section 145(2) has been activated, and the National Assembly owes Nigerians an explanation as to why it did not act.
“It is not a question of political convenience, it is a question of constitutional order.
“The situation is made even more disturbing by the fact that Vice President Shettima himself is currently in New York representing Nigeria at the United Nations General Assembly – the third consecutive United Nations General Assembly at which President Tinubu has delegated Nigeria’s representation to his deputy.
“So again: who exercises presidential authority in Nigeria today, and on the basis of which constitutional instrument?
“Nigeria cannot be governed by assumptions, nor by European presidential posts on social media.
“It cannot be governed by photographs of private dinners at the Elysée. “It cannot be governed on autopilot.
“While President Tinubu was abroad, 37 Nigerians died in NSCDC custody in Minna, an incident serious enough to trigger investigations, suspensions and calls for independent audits.
“At the same time, petrol is being sold at ₦1,500 per liter in some parts of the country, worsening transportation costs and putting pressure on families already struggling with the cost of food, electricity, rent and other necessities.
“These are not normal times. Yet the president is abroad. The vice president is abroad. The president of the Senate 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.”
According to Abubakar, President Tinubu’s private dinner with President Emmanuel Macron in Paris could serve diplomatic purposes. But Nigeria itself cannot be put on holiday.
The Constitution does not recognize the “working holiday” as an alternative system of presidential succession. Provides a procedure. This procedure must be respected, Abubakar argued and called on the Presidency to immediately tell Nigerians whether President Tinubu submitted the Section 145(1) declaration before leaving the country.
Abubakar said: “The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House should equally tell Nigerians whether such communication has been received.
“And if no declaration has been sent within the constitutionally required deadline, the National Assembly must explain why the procedure provided for in article 145, paragraph 2 has not been activated.
“Nigeria is bigger than any president. At a time of grave economic hardship, rising energy costs, security challenges and shocking deaths of citizens in government custody, the country deserves visible, accountable and constitutionally grounded leadership.
“The question will not disappear: who, constitutionally, is responsible for Nigeria?”
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