Paul Ibe, media adviser to former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has questioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s prolonged stay in France beyond his initially announced three-week vacation.
In a post on his X handle on Sunday, Ibe said Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for what the Presidency described as a three-week annual vacation, but that the period had elapsed and his return had subsequently been extended.
The Presidency had on September 21 announced that Tinubu’s working vacation had been extended by a few days, saying he would return to Nigeria at the weekend.
Ibe questioned what was keeping the President in Paris, noting that French President Emmanuel Macron had attended to his country’s international engagements and returned home while Nigeria continued to face security, economic and cost-of-living challenges.
He also raised a constitutional question, citing Section 145(1) of the Constitution, which provides for a President proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives.
According to Ibe, the declaration enables the Vice-President to perform the functions of President as Acting President.
He further cited Section 145(2), which provides that where the President fails to transmit such a declaration, the National Assembly may, by a simple majority of each House, mandate the Vice-President to perform the functions of President.
Ibe said Tinubu had been away for 28 days, seven days beyond the 21-day period referenced in his argument.
“So where is the letter? If it was transmitted, let the Presidency, Senate President or Speaker publish it. If no letter was transmitted, Nigerians deserve to know why the constitutional procedure has not been followed,” he said.
Ibe said there should not be insinuations that members of Tinubu’s inner circle were afraid of Vice-President Kashim Shettima being given Acting President authority.
He recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari transferred presidential functions to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on several occasions during his tenure, including through formal communications to the National Assembly under Section 145.
Ibe also referred to speculation that Tinubu was in France for medical reasons, saying the Presidency should provide a clear explanation for the President’s prolonged stay.
“Nigerians are entitled to know why their President has remained abroad beyond his announced vacation and, above all, whether the Constitution has been complied with. The Constitution is not optional,” he said.
He added: “Nigeria cannot be placed on indefinite vacation.”