The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned the simultaneous absence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima from the country, labeling the situation a “very dangerous precedent” that undermines national governance.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, raised the alarm on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, as questions swirl regarding who holds constitutional presidential authority.
President Tinubu has been abroad since August 30 on a declared “working vacation,” while Vice-President Shettima departed Abuja for New York to represent Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The Presidency has pushed back against the criticism, asserting that President Tinubu remains actively engaged in directing government affairs and maintains continuous communication with officials at home.
Officials explained that Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume will step in to handle select official engagements in the interim.
Despite these assurances, the opposition remains fiercely skeptical about the legality and operational clarity of transferring executive oversight to an appointed official rather than adhering to formal constitutional lines of succession.
During the television interview, Abdullahi directly challenged the administrative arrangement, questioning whether SGF Akume has been quietly elevated to act as the nation’s leader. “Is SGF Akume now the Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Is that what they are telling us? Is it the chain of succession that is spelt out by the Nigerian Constitution?” he asked.
He further accused the administration of disregarding both the supreme law of the land and public sensibility, warning that leaving the country with no formally designated executive leader sets a precarious baseline for future governments.
Dismissing the Presidency’s characterization of the trip as a “working vacation,” the ADC spokesman argued that the constitution does not accommodate a president relocating abroad while managing state affairs via informal channels.
He also directed sharp criticism toward the legislature, urging the National Assembly to immediately reconvene from its recess to interrogate the constitutional vacuum.
However, Abdullahi expressed pessimism that lawmakers would take corrective action, citing their close political alignment with the current administration.
As the political debate intensifies, the Presidency maintains that governance remains completely unhindered, emphasizing that Vice-President Shettima carries the full mandate of the president on the international stage at the United Nations.
Nonetheless, the controversy continues to spark national dialogue among legal experts, opposition figures, and citizens alike regarding executive accountability and transparency during prolonged leadership absences.
