By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has dismissed calls for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to hand over power to Vice President Kashim Shettima, insisting that there is no leadership vacuum despite the President’s extended working vacation abroad.
Akpabio spoke on Tuesday in Akwa Ibom State while commissioning road projects executed by Governor Umo Eno.
He said Tinubu remained in office and continued to discharge his constitutional responsibilities despite his absence from the country.
In a statement by his Media Office, Akpabio said, “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 also said there was currently no vacancy in the presidency, adding that Tinubu remained in charge of the affairs of the country.
“Right now, there is no vacancy. Asiwaju Tinubu is still in power, and he is still running the affairs of Nigeria,” he said.
To buttress his position, the Senate President cited recent diplomatic engagements involving Tinubu, including communications with French President Emmanuel Macron, as evidence that the President remained engaged in governance.
His comments came amid public discussion over Tinubu’s three-week working vacation, which was recently extended by another week.
The Presidency has not announced a formal return date for the President.
Akpabio’s remarks are expected to further shape the ongoing debate over whether the President’s extended absence from the country requires a formal transfer of presidential powers to the Vice President.
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