Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has questioned President Bola Tinubu’s continued absence from the United Nations General Assembly, asking whether concerns about his past dealings in the United States influenced the decision.
Atiku raised the question following the Presidency’s announcement that Vice President Kashim Shettima would represent Nigeria at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.
The former vice president, through a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, noted that Tinubu would miss the gathering for the third consecutive year.
Atiku asked whether the President was concerned about facing a situation similar to that of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has faced legal proceedings in the United States.
He also referenced controversies surrounding Tinubu’s past in the United States, including previously reported forfeiture proceedings involving funds linked to him.
According to Atiku, these issues should be considered when examining the President’s repeated absence from the annual global gathering.
He, however, acknowledged that there had been no official statement from the Presidency indicating that Tinubu was legally barred from travelling to the United States.
Atiku therefore questioned why the President had not personally attended the UN General Assembly since 2024, asking whether diplomatic, legal, personal or other considerations were responsible for the decision.
The criticism comes as Shettima leads Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st UN General Assembly, where he is expected to deliver Nigeria’s national statement and participate in high-level diplomatic engagements.
The Presidency has rejected the suggestion that Tinubu’s absence is connected to the issues raised by Atiku.
In a statement issued on September 21, the Presidency described the insinuations surrounding the President’s non-attendance at the UNGA as baseless and irresponsible.
The Presidency also confirmed that Tinubu had extended his working vacation by a few days and was expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend.
Tinubu had left Nigeria on August 30 for a working vacation, during which the Presidency said he continued to monitor national affairs and issue directives from abroad.
Shettima’s representation at the UNGA marks the third consecutive occasion on which Tinubu has not personally attended the annual gathering since becoming President.
