By Emmanuel Thomas l Tuesday, Sept 22, 2026
ABUJA — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly criticized the simultaneous absence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima from the country, describing the situation as a dangerous disregard for the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and an intolerable threat to national stability.
In a fiery press statement issued on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the main opposition party warned that Nigeria cannot be governed by remote control, proxy, or press releases while its leaders reside in foreign capitals.
ADC Questions Legal Compliance Under Section 145
Focusing on constitutional compliance, the ADC highlighted Section 145 of the Nigerian Constitution. Under this provision, whenever the President intends to proceed on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office for up to 21 days, he must transmit a written declaration to both the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Upon this transmission, the Vice-President formally assumes power as Acting President.
The opposition party pointed out that President Tinubu departed the country on August 30 and has remained abroad beyond the 21-day threshold without clear public verification of this constitutional procedure.
”President Tinubu left Nigeria on 30 August and has now been away for more than 21 days. We therefore demand to know whether the required declaration was transmitted by the President. If he did not, we would like to know why the National Assembly has ignored Section 145 of the Constitution,” the statement read.
Rejection of SGF Proxy Governance
Addressing recent official explanations from the Presidency, the ADC firmly rejected claims that President Tinubu is currently on a “working vacation” or that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, can represent the President at executive functions during his absence.
The party described the reliance on the SGF as an executive absurdity, pointing out that an appointed official lacks any elected authority or constitutional mandate to exercise presidential powers.
”Representing the President at events and ceremonies does not confer constitutional powers. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation is a mere appointee of the President. He may attend events or deliver speeches on the President’s behalf, but he cannot exercise the constitutional powers of the President or Acting President,” Abdullahi stated.
The ADC emphasized that governance requires active, lawful leadership rather than ceremonial representation. “Representation is not governance. Attendance at official functions is not presidential authority. Nigeria cannot be governed through ceremonial proxies, telephone calls and press statements issued from foreign capitals,” the party added.
Furthermore, the party insisted that the concept of a “working vacation” does not exist under Nigerian law to bypass Section 145 obligations. “There is no constitutional category known as a ‘working vacation’. Presidential authority cannot be transferred by convenience, protocol or press statement. Nigeria is a constitutional democracy, not a private enterprise to be managed remotely from a holiday destination.”
Economic Realities and Diplomatic Optics
The opposition party expressed deep concern over the timing of the leadership vacuum, noting that the top two political executives are out of the country while citizens face mounting security challenges, widespread unemployment, and a harsh cost-of-living crisis.
Additionally, the ADC highlighted what it termed a major diplomatic embarrassment regarding President Tinubu’s choice of location during key global discussions. While French President Emmanuel Macron traveled to New York to represent France at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), President Tinubu remained in Paris on vacation.
”The irony would be amusing if it were not a national disgrace,” the ADC noted. “At a time when world leaders are advancing their countries’ interests at the United Nations General Assembly, Nigeria’s President is holed up in the French capital while his host has left to pursue his own country’s national interest.”
The party described the situation as poor diplomacy and a setback to Nigeria’s international standing. “President Tinubu cannot be vacationing in Paris while President Macron is in New York representing France and expect Nigerians to accept that it is okay for their President to continue to hang around in a country after the host has left… This is not merely poor optics. It is a national embarrassment.”
Concluding the statement, the ADC called on both the Presidency and the National Assembly to immediately clarify the executive leadership hierarchy to the public by answering one central question:
”Who presently exercises the constitutional powers of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and under what provision of the Constitution?”
Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria requires the President to transmit a written declaration to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives whenever he is proceeding on vacation or unable to discharge his duties.
This document temporarily transfers executive authority to the Vice-President as Acting President.
Can the SGF act on behalf of the President in executive decisions?
No. While the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) can represent the President at official events, ceremonies, and deliver speeches, the SGF is an appointed official and holds no constitutional authority to perform executive presidential functions or serve as Acting President.
Why is the simultaneous absence of the President and Vice-President a concern?
Under the Nigerian Constitution, the Vice-President is the primary successor designated to assume presidential duties when the President is away.
When both the President and Vice-President are out of the country simultaneously without a formal transmission of authority under Section 145, it creates a potential constitutional vacuum in national decision-making and security operations.