Nigeria: Tinubu's Extended Absence

What the report says

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s extended stay outside Nigeria has triggered renewed debate over whether the Constitution requires him to formally hand over duties to Vice President Kashim Shettima when away for more than 21 days. According to Daily Trust, the issue intensified after Tinubu did not return on the date previously indicated by the presidency, despite an earlier announcement that his “working vacation” would be extended by a week.

The report said the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) urged Nigerians to seek judicial clarification, arguing that citizens can challenge actions they believe conflict with the Constitution. CDD-West Africa director Dauda Garuba was quoted as saying the president may travel, but should still consider the constitutional rules governing lengthy absences. The presidency, through Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, maintained that Tinubu remained active, in contact with investors, and able to govern remotely.

Daily Trust also noted that Senate President Godswill Akpabio dismissed the concern at a public event, saying there was no power vacuum in Aso Rock. A former lawmaker, Mark Gbillah, separately called on the National Assembly to invoke Section 145(2) if Tinubu does not resume and to mandate Shettima to serve as acting president.

The newspaper reported that Tinubu left Abuja on August 30 for vacation in London and France, later attending meetings and events in Paris. The debate matters because it touches on constitutional procedure, executive continuity, and the limits of governing from abroad in Nigeria’s political system.