As the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) convenes in New York to address escalating global crises, Nigeria finds itself embroiled in a fierce domestic debate over President Bola Tinubu’s decision to miss the high-level gathering for the third consecutive year, delegating the country’s representation to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
While nearly 130 heads of state and government gather to tackle wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and beyond, alongside climate shocks and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, the opposition has seized on the President’s prolonged stay in Europe to question the constitutional propriety of his absence.
Former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has led the criticism, demanding clarity on who is currently in charge of Nigeria’s executive functions. Citing Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, Atiku pointed out that more than 21 days have passed since Tinubu departed for his annual leave on August 30. Yet, no formal written declaration transmitting presidential authority to the Vice President has been made public.
“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 stated, challenging the Presidency to clarify the constitutional instrument under which the country is currently being managed.
The timing of the controversy coincides with a deeply fractured global landscape. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, delivering what will be his final address to the UNGA before his tenure ends in December 2026, warned that the global situation “is getting worse.” He highlighted how geopolitical divisions and the involvement of major powers in ongoing conflicts have created an “environment of impunity,” severely impacting food security, energy prices, and supply chains worldwide.
“The combination of the war in Ukraine with the problems of exports of foods, fertilisers, and energy through the Black Sea… we are creating a situation that has a devastating impact on many economies around the world,” Guterres noted, urging urgent reforms to a Security Council structure that “still essentially represents the world of World War II.”
Despite the mounting international pressures, the Federal Government has firmly defended the President’s decision. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, insisted that Tinubu’s absence does not diminish Nigeria’s diplomatic standing. He affirmed that Vice President Shettima carries the “full mandate of the President and the Federal Republic of Nigeria” to deliver the national statement and advance the country’s priorities on peace, security, and global financial architecture reform.
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Foreign policy experts remain divided on the implications of the absence. Prof. Joshua Bolarinwa of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) argued that there is no major concern, noting that Nigeria’s positions are well-documented and that the country currently holds strategic chairmanships, including the UN Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations.
Conversely, NIIA Research Fellow Kelechi Nwogu warned that the absence sends an unfortunate message to the international community, suggesting that Africa’s largest economy is not fully projecting itself on the global stage. Meanwhile, Dr. Bamidele Olajide of the University of Lagos suggested the delegation might reflect a pragmatic view that the UNGA, lacking the executive enforcement power of the Security Council, is increasingly a forum for discussion rather than decisive action.
The Presidency has announced that President Tinubu has extended his working vacation in Europe, combining it with official consultations, and is expected to return to Nigeria over the weekend to resume full official duties.
As Vice President Shettima prepares to deliver Nigeria’s national statement in New York, the dual narrative remains stark: on the global stage, Nigeria will advocate for a more equitable international order, while at home, the political opposition continues to demand constitutional clarity, ensuring that the President’s empty chair in New York remains a potent symbol of domestic political friction.
Promise Idoko is Junior Reporter working with moderncrux He covers global politics and international affairs. Based in Nigeria,
