President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has departed Abuja for a three-week annual leave in Europe, with London, United Kingdom, as his first destination, while Vice President Kashim Shettima is in Luanda, Angola, representing him at an extraordinary African Union summit. The simultaneous absence of Nigeria's two highest-ranking elected officials has drawn criticism from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who described the situation as a “disturbing vacuum of political leadership”.
Presidency Confirms Working Vacation and AU Summit Representation
Tinubu left Abuja on Sunday, August 30, 2026, for Europe as part of his annual leave. According to the Presidency, his first destination is London, United Kingdom. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria after the break to join campaign activities ahead of the January 2027 election.
The Presidency described the trip as a “working vacation”, meaning Tinubu is expected to remain engaged with affairs of government while away. The President's departure comes as Shettima is in Luanda, Angola, representing him at an extraordinary African Union summit.
Constitutional Provisions and Questions on Leadership Transfer
Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution addresses the temporary absence of the President. It provides that when the President transmits a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives stating that he is proceeding on vacation or is otherwise unable to perform his functions, the Vice President is to discharge those functions as Acting President until another declaration is made ending the arrangement.
As of the time of filing, the Presidency had not publicly announced that Tinubu had transmitted such a declaration to the National Assembly for this vacation. That does not, by itself, establish a constitutional violation. It does, however, leave a question about whether presidential powers have formally been transferred while both Tinubu and Shettima are abroad.
In October 2024, when Tinubu was on a two-week vacation in the United Kingdom while Shettima travelled to Sweden, Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said there was no leadership vacuum because Tinubu remained engaged with government business from abroad. Onanuga said at the time that the President was answering calls and issuing directives while away, while other senior officials remained at their posts.
Criticism Over Timing and Emergency Preparedness
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised Tinubu's decision to leave the country for three weeks while Nigerians face economic and security challenges. Atiku said the issue was not whether a president should take a holiday, but whether the timing was appropriate. He argued that the simultaneous absence of Tinubu and Shettima created what he described as a “disturbing vacuum of political leadership”.
A separate concern has come from security and risk-management expert Dr Kabir Adamu, who said having both leaders outside Nigeria raises questions about continuity of government during an emergency. Adamu, chief executive officer of Beacon Security and Innovations Limited, said the issue was not necessarily whether the Constitution expressly prohibits both men from travelling at the same time, but whether there are adequate arrangements for uninterrupted decision-making during a crisis. He called for clearer protocols governing situations in which the President and Vice President are simultaneously outside the country.
The concern comes against the backdrop of Nigeria's continuing security challenges, including the recent mass kidnapping in Niger State, which prompted Tinubu to order security agencies to mount a rescue operation.
For now, the Presidency maintains that Tinubu is on annual leave in Europe and is expected to return after three weeks. Shettima, meanwhile, is carrying out an official assignment in Angola on the President's behalf.
