Nigeria: Tinubu’s third absence from the UN prompts Atiku to demand explanations

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu will not attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. For the third consecutive year, he will be represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, a decision that led Atiku Abubakar to publicly demand explanations on Sunday, September 20.

The presidency announced that Shettima will lead the Nigerian delegation to the general debate scheduled from September 22 to 28. He is set to deliver the national statement and participate in several high-level meetings and bilateral discussions with leaders, international organizations, and development partners.

Atiku Abubakar believes that three consecutive absences can no longer be viewed as mere representation. In a statement released by his spokesperson Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president called on the presidency to clarify why Bola Tinubu is not traveling to New York and questioned whether there might be a connection to past legal proceedings in the United States. This inquiry falls within his political purview, and no such reason has been provided by the presidency.

The change of plans comes after Nigeria’s permanent representative to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim, indicated in July that Bola Tinubu would personally attend this session. The president left Abuja on August 30 for a three-week vacation in Europe, with stops in London and then France.

Jimoh Ibrahim responded on Sunday that the absence of the head of state would not diminish Nigeria’s representation. He stated that Bola Tinubu is currently in France for his annual leave and that Kashim Shettima, Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and other delegation members are capable of conveying the country’s positions.

Bola Tinubu personally attended the UN General Assembly in 2023. Kashim Shettima subsequently delivered Nigeria’s national statement in 2024 and 2025 and is set to represent the president again in 2026.