Tinubu Can Work From Anywhere, Lawal Defends Tinubu’s Absence From UNGA

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has defended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to stay away from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying the President can continue to discharge his responsibilities from anywhere in the world.

Lawal stated this amid growing public debate over Tinubu’s absence from the annual high-level UN gathering, where Vice President Kashim Shettima is representing Nigeria and is scheduled to deliver the country’s national statement.

Speaking on the issue with Channels Television, Lawal said Tinubu had described his overseas stay as a “working leave”, arguing that modern technology makes it possible for the President to remain in contact with officials and direct affairs of government while outside the country.

“When President Tinubu was travelling, he said he was going on a working leave, which means he can be working for the country anywhere he is. That’s why we are investing in technology,” Lawal said.

The Presidency has similarly maintained that Tinubu has continued to direct the affairs of the country while on his extended working vacation in Europe. According to presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu has remained in contact with officials at home and has taken official decisions while away.

The President departed Nigeria on August 30 for London before travelling to Paris, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré. The Presidency subsequently announced that his stay abroad had been extended by a few days, with his return expected at the weekend.

However, former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Chidi Odinkalu, has taken a sharply different position.

Appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Odinkalu criticised the repeated absence of Nigeria’s top two political office holders from the country at the same time.

He argued that the situation was unprecedented in previous administrations and questioned whether the President could continue to govern from abroad indefinitely.

“This is the first time, this is the first administration where the principals, the Vice President and the President, are making a habit of abandoning the country without leadership. It never happened before,” Odinkalu said.

The lawyer also criticised Tinubu’s decision not to attend the UN General Assembly, pointing out that leaders from several major countries were in New York for the gathering.

Odinkalu further described the President’s prolonged stay abroad as “japa” and argued that Tinubu could not “interminably run Nigeria like Paul Biya runs Cameroon.”