By Isaac Samuel
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed concerns over the absence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima from Nigeria, insisting that there is no vacancy in the presidency.
Akpabio, who spoke on Tuesday at an event in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, said Tinubu remained in charge of the country and continued to direct government affairs from abroad.
“I am the Senate President and the Chairman of the National Assembly. I am not the acting President. There is no vacancy in Aso Rock. President Tinubu is very much in charge.
“As the Chairman of the National Assembly I am the only person who can declare if there is vacancy. Right now there is no vacancy. President Tinubu is still in power and he is running the affairs of Nigeria smoothly.”
His comments came a day after former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, questioned who was constitutionally exercising presidential powers following Tinubu’s continued absence from Nigeria.
Tinubu left the country on August 30 for what the Presidency described as a three-week working vacation in Europe. The State House announced on Monday that the President had extended the vacation by a few days and was expected back at this weekend.
Tinubu has been out of the country for 24 days. The Constitution says that if the President is away for three weeks and had not officially handed over power to the Vice President, the National Assembly should pronounce the VP acting President. The last time this provision was invoked was during the long absence of President Yar’Adua in 2010.
Shettima, meanwhile, is in New York representing Nigeria at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Atiku, in a statement titled, “Who is in charge of Nigeria?”, cited Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for the transmission of a written declaration by the President to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives when proceeding on vacation.
He argued that more than 21 days had elapsed since Tinubu left Nigeria and that Nigerians had not been shown any constitutional letter transferring presidential authority to Shettima.
Atiku therefore challenged the Presidency to publish the letter if it existed and asked the National Assembly to explain why it had not activated the procedure under Section 145(2) if no such declaration was transmitted.
He also questioned the simultaneous absence of Tinubu and Shettima, noting that the Vice-President was in New York for the UNGA while Senate President Akpabio was also reportedly outside the country.
Atiku said the issue was one of constitutional order, asking: “Who is exercising presidential authority in Nigeria today, and under what constitutional instrument?”
He also cited recent developments, including the deaths of 37 Nigerians in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State, and rising petrol prices, as reasons why he said the country required clear leadership.
But Akpabio rejected the suggestion that the country was experiencing a leadership vacuum, saying Tinubu remained in charge despite being abroad.
“The President is on a working leave. So, there is no absence in Aso Rock. What he cannot do here, he is doing abroad,” he said.
Akpabio cited Tinubu’s recent engagements in France, including his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, as evidence that the President continued to perform official duties while away.
“The other day, he was with President Macron on a state visit, discussing bilaterals to bring things back to Nigeria. And then, because he could not make it to the UNGA — United Nations General Assembly — his Vice President went,” he said.
The Senate President further said there was no vacancy in the presidency and maintained that Tinubu was still running the affairs of the country.
“There is no vacancy. People who are talking are just talking. I am the only person, as Chairman of the National Assembly, that can speak the voice of the National Assembly and say there is a vacancy and there will be a vacancy.
“Right now, there is no vacancy. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is still in power, and he is still running the affairs of Nigeria.”
Akpabio also argued that advances in communication technology meant that Tinubu could continue to direct government business while outside the country.
“Nigeria has become; the world has become a global village; you can give instructions even from the internet, anything. So why are people complaining?” he said.
