Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has publicly questioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's continued absence from Nigeria, specifically pointing to the country's missing presence at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, USA. The presidency, through spokesman Bayo Onanuga, has responded firmly, defending Tinubu's working vacation and citing his recent international engagements.
Obi Raises Alarm Over Nigeria's Absence at UNGA
Speaking on Sunday, September 27, Obi said he watched a speech by Ghanaian President John Mahama at the global gathering and drew a sharp contrast between Mahama's visibility on the world stage and what he described as Nigeria's conspicuous absence. This marks the third consecutive UNGA that Tinubu has missed.
"Where is the President of Africa's most populous nation, a country of more than 200 million people, more than Ghana, whose leader has been absent from the global stage for three consecutive UNGAs?" Obi asked. He argued that Nigeria's president should be at the forefront of international engagements, especially given the domestic and global pressures currently facing the country.
"Nigeria's President, who ought to be representing and guiding the continent at the international level, has not attended any of these three global gatherings," Obi said. While acknowledging that Vice-President Kashim Shettima was present in New York on behalf of the Federal Government, Obi said the delegation did not fully address his concern. "Although our Vice President, Kashim Shettima, was present, the question remains: where is the President?" he said.
Presidency Defends Tinubu's Working Vacation
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga pushed back firmly, writing on X that the president was in good health and was entitled to a working vacation. "President Tinubu is hale and hearty. He has been on a working vacation, which he is perfectly entitled to. In this digital age, he does not need to be physically present in Abuja to do the work for which he was elected in 2023," Onanuga wrote.
Onanuga pointed to Tinubu's recent engagements in France, including meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré, and said Tinubu had facilitated a $7 billion deep-sea port project in Ogun Waterside during his time abroad. The spokesman also noted that South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa and Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi both stayed away from the UNGA without triggering similar controversy in their home countries.
Tinubu's Extended Stay Abroad and Upcoming Return
Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for what the presidency initially described as a three-week working vacation in Europe, beginning in London before moving to Paris. His return date has since been adjusted more than once, with the latest indication placing his arrival back in Nigeria on Tuesday, September 29.
Onanuga added that Tinubu was expected back in Nigeria before the end of the week to mark the country's 66th Independence Anniversary and attend the premiere of a film honouring late democracy icon MKO Abiola in Lagos. The presidency's response underscores the administration's stance that the president's absence is justified by ongoing diplomatic and economic efforts abroad.
