Senate President Godswill Akpabio has firmly rejected calls for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to formally transmit presidential power to Vice President Kashim Shettima, dismissing concerns over a leadership vacuum following the extension of the President’s working vacation abroad.
Speaking on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, during the commissioning of major road projects executed by Governor Umo Eno in Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio addressed public anxiety surrounding President Tinubu’s prolonged absence. He insisted that the nation’s governance machinery remains fully operational and that the President is actively discharging his executive duties remotely.
“I am the Senate President, and I am not the acting President of Nigeria, because President Tinubu is still in power. He is on a working leave, and there is no absence in Aso Rock. The world is a global village, and one can give instructions over the internet. So, why are people complaining?” Akpabio stated.
President Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30, 2026, for a scheduled three-week working vacation in Europe, which was recently extended. The extended absence sparked criticism from opposition figures and political stakeholders. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore raised questions regarding compliance with Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution.
Critics argued that with the expiration of the 21-day threshold, the National Assembly ought to clarify whether a written declaration had been transmitted to mandate Vice President Shettima as Acting President. The debate was further heightened as Vice President Shettima departed for New York on September 20, 2026, to represent Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81).
Opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) through its National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, cautioned that delegating official representation to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume does not equate to constitutional authority.
Pushing back against calls for legislative intervention, Senate President Akpabio clarified that the power to declare a vacancy in the presidency resides strictly with the legislature, adding that no constitutional trigger for such a declaration currently exists. “Right now, there is no vacancy. Asiwaju Tinubu is still in power, and he is still running the affairs of Nigeria,” Akpabio emphasised.
To reinforce his point, Akpabio referenced recent high-level diplomatic engagements conducted by the President while abroad, including strategic communications with French President Emmanuel Macron.
While the Presidency has yet to issue a definitive return date for President Tinubu, Akpabio’s comments signal a unified stance within the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the National Assembly, reaffirming that state affairs remain fully under the President’s command.
