Lawyer challenges absence of Nigeria’s president and vice-president

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has described the simultaneous absence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima from Nigeria as a “brazen violation” of the 1999 Constitution. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Effiong said Section 145 requires the president to transmit a written declaration to the Senate president and the Speaker of the House of Representatives when he goes on vacation or cannot perform his duties. He said the vice-president would then perform presidential functions as acting president.

Effiong argued that more than 21 days had passed since Tinubu left Nigeria without the public being shown such a transfer. He urged the National Assembly to intervene, describing the situation as an abdication of presidential responsibility. Tinubu travelled to London on August 30 for a working vacation.

The Presidency later said he had extended his stay by a few days and would return at the weekend. Shettima left Abuja on September 20 to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The Presidency has maintained that government has not been disrupted, saying Tinubu remains in contact with officials and continues to direct government affairs.

It said Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume would represent the president at official engagements while Shettima is in New York. The supplied material also says Atiku Abubakar has sought clarification over the constitutional procedure.