The Presidency and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar clashed on Monday over who is exercising presidential authority in Nigeria following the expiration of President Bola Tinubu’s announced three-week vacation abroad and the simultaneous absence of Vice President Kashim Shettima.
While Atiku demanded the disclosure of any constitutional instrument transferring presidential functions to Shettima, the Presidency announced that Tinubu had extended his working vacation in Europe by a few days and insisted that he remained in charge of the affairs of the country.
Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for what the Presidency announced as a three-week vacation in Europe, with London as his first stop. The 21-day period has now elapsed, while Shettima is in New York leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said yesterday that Tinubu would return to Nigeria at the weekend, maintaining that his continued stay in Europe had not affected the running of government.
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Who is in charge? Presidency, Atiku clash over Tinubu’s extended vacation
22 September 2026 3:59 am WATBy Ndubuisi OrjiFollow Us on Google
• President extends stay in Europe, returns weekend •Atiku demands disclosure of Section 145 letter • Presidency insists Tinubu remains in control
From Ndubuisi Orji and Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Presidency and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar clashed on Monday over who is exercising presidential authority in Nigeria following the expiration of President Bola Tinubu’s announced three-week vacation abroad and the simultaneous absence of Vice President Kashim Shettima.Lipocarnit1/2 Cup Of This (Before Bed) Will Melt Your Belly Fat Like CrazySafe! No Starvation and Physical Effort!Learn more
While Atiku demanded the disclosure of any constitutional instrument transferring presidential functions to Shettima, the Presidency announced that Tinubu had extended his working vacation in Europe by a few days and insisted that he remained in charge of the affairs of the country.
Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for what the Presidency announced as a three-week vacation in Europe, with London as his first stop. The 21-day period has now elapsed, while Shettima is in New York leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said yesterday that Tinubu would return to Nigeria at the weekend, maintaining that his continued stay in Europe had not affected the running of government.https://imasdk.googleapis.com/js/core/bridge3.790.0_en.html#deid=%22%22&eventfe_experiment_ids=%5B%5D&fid=%22goog_454503281%22&genotype_experiment_data=%7B%22experimentStateProto%22%3A%22%5B%5B%5B45713128%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45796605%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B945081832%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45816264%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45761044%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45722344%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45801847%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45784857%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45668885%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45685340%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45734716%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45735891%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45663239%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B839547366%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45676441%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45645574%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45688859%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45685601%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45685602%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C100%5D%5D%2C%5B45830425%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45820997%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C45812678%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45756824%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45794243%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45747172%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B775241416%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B781107959%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B781107958%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B792614055%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B781107957%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45729602%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45753603%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%2C%5B45753604%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B%5B16%2C%5B%5B10%2C%5B%5B83323635%5D%2C%5B83323636%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45812678%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C100%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B50%2C%5B%5B83323870%5D%2C%5B83323871%2C%5B%5B45830425%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B1000%2C%5B%5B95332046%5D%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C%5B%5B95332047%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95338769%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45645574%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95338770%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C45645574%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C2%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B50%2C%5B%5B95351425%5D%2C%5B95351426%2C%5B%5B45676441%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B1%2C%5B%5B95373378%2C%5B%5B792614055%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95373379%2C%5B%5B45747172%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B781107959%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B792614055%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B781107957%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95378629%5D%2C%5B95378630%2C%5B%5B45729602%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95381582%2C%5B%5B45729602%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45753603%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B95381583%2C%5B%5B45729602%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%2C%5B45753604%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5Bnull%2C%5B%5B95391735%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B50%2C%5B%5B95394237%5D%2C%5B95394238%2C%5B%5B45801847%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95398837%5D%2C%5B95398838%2C%5B%5Bnull%2C960449109%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B1%2C%5B%5B95401453%5D%2C%5B95401454%2C%5B%5B45668885%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2C%5B10%2C%5B%5B95402052%5D%2C%5B95402053%2C%5B%5B957164676%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5B1%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%5D%2Cnull%2Cnull%2C%5Bnull%2C1000%2C1%2C1000%5D%5D%22%7D&imalib_experiments=%5B95322027%2C95331589%2C95332046%5D&is_eap_loader=false&managed_js_experiment_id=0&page_correlator=1988064803183810&pvsid=5396596459256041&top_accessible_page_url=%22https%3A%2F%2Fthesun.ng%2Fwho-is-in-charge-presidency-atiku-clash-over-tinubus-extended-vacation%2F%22
According to the Presidency, Tinubu has remained in contact with officials at home and continued to direct the affairs of the country while abroad.
But Atiku, presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), challenged the Presidency to state whether Tinubu transmitted a written declaration to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives transferring presidential functions to Shettima before leaving the country.
“Twenty-one days have come and gone since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu left Nigeria on what the Presidency described as a three-week annual vacation.
“Today, Nigerians are entitled to ask a very simple constitutional question: Who is in charge of Nigeria?”
Atiku argued that Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution provides for the President to transmit a written declaration to the Senate President and Speaker when proceeding on vacation, whereupon the Vice President performs the functions of President as Acting President.
The provision also empowers the National Assembly, by a simple majority of each chamber, to mandate the Vice President to perform presidential functions where the President fails to transmit such a declaration within 21 days.
Atiku said the Presidency should make the letter public if Tinubu transmitted one, or the National Assembly should explain its position if none was sent.
“This is not a matter of political convenience. It is a matter of constitutional order,” he said.
The former vice president said the situation had become more pertinent because Shettima, who would ordinarily perform presidential functions where authority was formally transferred, was himself outside Nigeria.
“So again: who is exercising presidential authority in Nigeria today, and under what constitutional instrument?” Atiku asked.
The Presidency, however, maintained that Tinubu remained actively engaged with affairs of state despite being outside the country.
While in Europe, the President moved from London to Paris, where he met French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré.
His meeting with Bolloré focused on investments in Nigeria’s creative and digital economy, including film, entertainment and fibre-optic infrastructure.
Tinubu also directed an independent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Niger State.
The Presidency cited such interventions as evidence that the President had continued to discharge his responsibilities while abroad.
Atiku, however, rejected foreign engagements and presidential directives from abroad as answers to what he described as the constitutional question. “Nigeria cannot be governed by assumptions. It cannot be governed by presidential social-media posts from Europe.
“It cannot be governed by photographs from private dinners at the Élysée Palace. It cannot be governed on autopilot,” he said.
The former vice president also rejected the description of Tinubu’s trip as a “working vacation,” arguing that the Constitution prescribed a procedure for the transfer of presidential authority during a vacation.
He demanded that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas disclose whether they received a Section 145 declaration from Tinubu. The Presidency, meanwhile, also pushed back against criticism of Tinubu’s absence from the UNGA, describing insinuations by Atiku and a United States-based lobbying firm over the President’s non-attendance as “irresponsible.”
It said Shettima was representing Tinubu at the President’s direction and that Nigeria remained fully represented at the global gathering. Information Minister Mohammed Idris separately said Shettima was carrying the mandate of the President and Nigeria at the UNGA.
Shettima is expected to deliver Nigeria’s national statement and participate in high-level meetings and bilateral engagements in New York.
Atiku maintained that Shettima’s presence abroad reinforced the need for clarification on who was exercising presidential powers at home.
He also cited economic and security challenges, including rising petrol prices and the deaths of the 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody, in arguing that the country required clear and accountable leadership.
The controversy recalls the prolonged absence of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009 and 2010, when his failure to transfer presidential authority before travelling to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment triggered a constitutional crisis.
The National Assembly eventually invoked the “Doctrine of Necessity” in February 2010 to empower then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to serve as Acting President.
Atiku insisted that the present dispute could be resolved by disclosure of whether the constitutional procedure was followed.
“The Presidency should therefore tell Nigerians immediately whether President Tinubu transmitted the declaration contemplated by Section 145(1) before leaving the country,” he said. “And if no declaration was transmitted within the constitutionally stipulated period, the National Assembly must explain why the procedure provided by Section 145(2) has not been activated.”
The Presidency, however, said Tinubu’s extended stay would end at the weekend when the President is expected back in Nigeria.
Credit: The Sun