Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has questioned who is constitutionally exercising presidential authority in Nigeria following the expiration of the 21-day period announced for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vacation abroad.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), raised the issue in a statement on Monday, September 21, after Tinubu’s three-week leave, which began on August 30, elapsed. The Presidency had announced that the President was embarking on a three-week vacation as part of his annual leave.
The former Vice President cited Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, arguing that the President is required to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives when proceeding on vacation, enabling the Vice President to perform presidential functions as Acting President. Atiku said Nigerians had not been shown such a declaration transferring presidential authority to Vice President Kashim 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,” Atiku said. He argued that if such a declaration exists, the Presidency should publish it, while the National Assembly should explain its position if the required constitutional procedure was not followed.
Atiku also pointed to Shettima’s presence in New York, where he is representing Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly after Tinubu directed him to lead the Nigerian delegation. “So again: who is exercising presidential authority in Nigeria today, and under what constitutional instrument?” he asked.
The former Vice President linked his concerns to recent developments at home, including the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State.
Atiku also raised concerns over petrol prices, saying fuel was selling for as much as ₦1,500 per litre in some parts of the country.
“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,” Atiku said, referring to Tinubu’s reported private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. He urged the Presidency, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives to clarify whether the constitutional declaration was transmitted, insisting that “the question will not disappear: Who, constitutionally, is in charge of Nigeria?”
