Nigeria’s President, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended his working vacation and this is official.
He will now return to Nigeria at the weekend, following the extension of his working vacation by a few days.
President Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for London to begin the working vacation.
After spending a week in London, he moved to Paris, France, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Mr. Vincent Bollore, whose media group includes Canal+, Multichoice, and Universal Music Group.
Since he began the vacation, President Tinubu has continued to keep in touch with home, directing the affairs of the nation, like ordering an independent panel to investigate the death of 37 illegal miners in Minna, following their detention by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, among other things.
While away, President Tinubu delegated Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him at some official functions. Though Shettima left Abuja on September 20 for New York to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who has also been representing the President at events, will continue to do so.
On the political front, the Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council, PCC, Senator Abubakar Yari, has been leading notable party leaders in consultations with prominent traditional rulers in the country.
The Presidency described the baseless insinuation by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a United States-based lobbying firm headed by an ex-convict about President Tinubu’s non-attendance at UNGA as irresponsible.
Vice President Shettima, who is representing the President at the global conference, will present Nigeria’s national statement.
This is according to the statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
But immediately after the announcement of the extension, the ADC’s Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar raised a poser, asking who is in charge of Nigeria.
He based his argument on the earlier claim that since the President was going for just two weeks there was no need to hand over to his Deputy.
But the announcement of extension after the expiration of the two weeks is giving him a concern, asking who is in charge.
According to him 21 days have come and gone since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu left Nigeria on what the Presidency described as a three-week annual vacation.
Atiku said Nigerians are entitled to ask a very simple constitutional question: Who is in charge of Nigeria?
He based his arguments on Section 145 of the Constitution which provides that whenever the President proceeds on vacation, he shall transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, whereupon the Vice President performs the functions of President as Acting President.
And where the President fails to transmit that declaration within 21 days, he said the Constitution provides a further safeguard: the National Assembly shall, by a simple majority of each House, mandate the Vice President to perform the functions of President as Acting President.
Atiku said, “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.”
He said since the 21 days have now elapsed. If such a letter exists, the Presidency should publish it immediately.
Saying 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.
According to him, this is not a matter of political convenience. It is a matter of constitutional order.
He said the situation is made even more disturbing by the fact that Vice President Shettima is himself presently in New York representing Nigeria at the United Nations General Assembly — the third consecutive UN General Assembly at which President Tinubu has delegated Nigeria’s representation to his deputy.
So again, he asked, who is exercising presidential authority in Nigeria today, and under what constitutional instrument?
He said 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 recalled that while President Tinubu has been abroad, 37 Nigerians died in NSCDC custody in Minna, an incident grave enough to trigger investigations, suspensions and demands for independent scrutiny.
Atiku also referred to the cost of energy with petrol selling for as much as ₦1,500 per litre in parts of the country, worsening transportation costs and squeezing families already struggling with the cost of food, electricity, rent and other necessities.
According to Atiku, 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.
While admitting that 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, according to Atiku does not recognise a “working vacation” as an alternative system of presidential succession.
It provides a procedure. That procedure must be obeyed.
“The Presidency should therefore tell Nigerians immediately whether President Tinubu transmitted the declaration contemplated by Section 145(1) before leaving the country.”
“The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House should equally tell Nigerians whether such a communication was received.”
“And 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.”
“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,” he added.
Concluding, he said the question will not disappear: Who, constitutionally, is in charge of Nigeria?
