The 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised President Bola Tinubu over his 21-day absence from Nigeria.
In a statement titled, “Who is in charge of Nigeria?”, Atiku cited Section 145 of the Constitution, which provides for the transfer of presidential functions when the President proceeds on vacation.
The former vice president stated that the Constitution requires the president to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, after which the Vice President performs the functions of the President as Acting President.
According to him, more than 21 days after Tinubu left the country on August 30, Nigerians had not been shown any letter transmitting presidential authority to Vice President Kashim Shettima.
“Section 145 of the Constitution is not ambiguous about presidential vacations. It provides that whenever the President proceeds on vacation, he shall transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, whereupon the Vice President performs the functions of President as Acting President.
“And where the President fails to transmit that declaration within 21 days, the Constitution provides a further safeguard: the National Assembly shall, by a simple majority of each House, mandate the Vice President to perform the functions of President as Acting President,” Atiku said.
Recall that President Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for Europe to begin a three-week vacation as part of his annual leave. The Presidency announced on September 21 that he had extended his working vacation by a few days and would return to Nigeria at the weekend.