News
Atiku Questions Who Is In Charge As Tinubu Extends Leave, Presidency Defends Absence
The presidency has disclosed that the three-week working leave embarked upon by President Bola Tinubu has been extended by one week.
Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement, explained that the president would return to Nigeria at the weekend, following the extension of his working vacation by a few days.
Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for London to begin the working vacation.
According to the presidency, the president, after spending a week in London, moved to Paris, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman, Mr Vincent Bollore, whose media group included Canal+, Multichoice, and Universal Music Group.
The statement said, “Since he began the vacation, 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, the president delegated Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him at some official functions.
Though Shettima left Abuja on October 20 for New York to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who has also been representing the president at events, will continue to do so, the statement said.
On the political front, Director-General of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Senator Abubakar Yari, had been leading notable party leaders in consultations with prominent traditional rulers in the country.
The presidency described the insinuation by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a United States-based lobbying firm, which it alleged was headed by an ex-convict, about Tinubu’s absence at UNGA as irresponsible and baseless.
“Vice President Shettima, who is representing the president at the global conference, will present Nigeria’s national statement,” it added.
The presidency told Atiku that Tinubu had not breached any provisions of the 1999 Constitution by his long absence from work.
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Tope Ajayi, told THISDAY that Tinubu had not breached any constitutional provision since he embarked on a 21-day working leave on August 30.
Ajayi explained that Tinubu had only spent 15 out of the 21 working days’ vacation he was constitutionally entitled to.
Ajayi described Atiku, who is African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, as someone who liked to grandstand with a view to getting cheap attention.
According to him, “Atiku is just grandstanding and seeking cheap attention. His campaign is floundering, and he is looking for every straw to hold on to.
“President Tinubu has not breached the constitution in any way. He is entitled to 21 working days’ vacation and he has only done 15 days.”
Relatedly, the federal government said Tinubu mandated Shettima to represent him and lead Nigeria’s delegation to UNGA, dismissing Atiku’s question about who is in charge in Nigeria.
A statement by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, riposted remarks by Atiku and a United States-based lobbying organisation retained by him, questioning Tinubu’s non-participation at the 81st UNGA session.
Idris accused Atiku of seeking to impute false and baseless motives to the president’s absence. He said the vice president would deliver Nigeria’s national statement and participate in high-level meetings and bilateral engagements with world leaders, international organisations, and development partners.
The minister assured that with the vice president, the country would be fully and effectively represented throughout the high-level session.
The statement said, “Vice President Shettima carries the full mandate of the President and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His engagements in New York will advance Nigeria’s priorities on peace and security, economic development, climate action, reform of the global financial architecture, sustainable development and international cooperation.
“President Tinubu is currently on annual leave, and his decision to ask the Vice President to lead Nigeria’s delegation is neither unusual nor a diminution of the country’s diplomatic standing.
“The federal government has noted recent political commentary by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a United States-based lobbying organisation retained by him, questioning President Tinubu’s non-attendance and seeking to impute false and baseless motives to it.”
Idris stated, “Political opposition and robust public debate are legitimate features of democracy. However, speculation should not be presented to Nigerians or the international community as established fact.
“The government urges political actors to exercise responsibility when discussing matters affecting Nigeria’s international relationships and national reputation.”
The minister stressed that the country attached values to its longstanding relationship with the United States, which encompassed trade and investment, security cooperation, energy, democratic institutions, regional stability, and extensive people-to-people ties.
He said, “That relationship is conducted through established diplomatic and governmental channels and should not be confused with partisan commentary or the activities of private lobbying organisations acting on behalf of political clients.
“The federal government therefore encourages Nigerians and the media to distinguish between verified information, legitimate political opinion and unsubstantiated speculation.”
He assured that Nigeria would be fully represented in New York, while its interests will be vigorously advanced and the work of strengthening the country’s relationships with its international partners will continue.
Atiku: Who is in Charge of Nigeria?
Earlier, Atiku had asked to know who was in charge in Nigeria, after Tinubu, currently holidaying in France, asked his deputy, Shettima, to lead Nigeria’s delegation to UNGA.
In a statement he personally signed, Atiku said, ‘’Twenty-one days have come and gone since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu left Nigeria on what the presidency described as a three-week annual vacation.
‘’Today, Nigerians are entitled to ask a very simple constitutional question: Who is in charge of Nigeria?’’
According to him, ‘’Section 145 of the constitution is not ambiguous about presidential vacations. It 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, 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.
‘’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, ‘’The 21 days have now elapsed. If such a letter exists, the Presidency should publish it immediately.
‘’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.
‘’This is not a matter of political convenience. It is a matter of constitutional order.
‘’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: who is exercising presidential authority in Nigeria today, and under what constitutional instrument?
‘’Nigeria cannot be governed by assumptions. It cannot be governed by presidential social-media posts from Europe.”
Atiku added that Nigeria could not be governed by photographs from private dinners at the Élysée Palace.
He stated, ‘’It cannot be governed on autopilot. 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.
‘’At the same time, petrol is selling for as much as N1,500 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.”
The former vice president stated, ‘’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.
‘’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 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.’’
According to Atiku, ‘’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.
‘’The question will not disappear: Who, constitutionally, is in charge of Nigeria?’
Related
