Akpabio Speaks on Taking Over as Acting President Amid Tinubu’s Absence

• Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed claims that he is Nigeria’s Acting President as opposition figures demand answers over Tinubu’s extended stay abroad.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has denied assuming office as Nigeria’s Acting President amid the continued absence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima from the country.

Speaking on Tuesday in Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio insisted that Tinubu remained in control of the government and that his stay abroad had not created a vacancy in the presidency.

“I am the Senate President and not the acting President of Nigeria because President Tinubu is still in power. He’s on a working leave, and there’s no absence in Aso Rock,” he said.

Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for what the Presidency described as a three-week working vacation. His stay was subsequently extended, with officials indicating that he was expected back at the weekend.

The President is in France, while Shettima travelled to New York on September 20 to represent Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

The Presidency maintains that Tinubu continues to communicate with government officials and direct the country’s affairs from abroad.

However, the absence of both leaders has triggered demands from opposition figures for clarification on the constitutional arrangements governing presidential responsibilities.

Dismissing suggestions of a constitutional vacuum, Akpabio maintained that any declaration of a vacancy must follow the law. He described himself as the “only person who can declare a vacancy and there will be a vacancy.”

“Right now, there is no vacancy. Asiwaju Tinubu is still in power, and he’s still running the affairs of Nigeria.

“The world is a global village, you can give instructions from the internet. So why are people complaining?” he said.

His comments followed calls by Omoyele Sowore and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the National Assembly to examine the constitutional implications of Tinubu’s extended absence.

Sowore argued that the expiration of the President’s initial 21-day vacation required lawmakers to establish whether the provisions of Section 145 of the Constitution had been followed.

He also challenged Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas to disclose whether Tinubu had transmitted a written declaration enabling the Vice-President to act.

“This is no longer about Tinubu’s vacation. It is about whether Nigeria will be governed according to its Constitution.

“The 21 days have expired. The National Assembly must act now,” Sowore said.

The ADC separately questioned the arrangements for exercising presidential authority while both Tinubu and Shettima were outside Nigeria.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party argued that Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume could not acquire presidential powers simply by representing Tinubu at official engagements.

The Presidency had said Akume would represent the President at selected events during the two leaders’ absence.

“Representation is not governance. Attendance at official functions is not presidential authority,” the ADC said.

The party also contended that “working vacation” was not a term recognised by Section 145. It urged the Presidency and the National Assembly to identify who was exercising presidential powers and explain the legal basis for that authority.