Tinubu and Shettima's Absence Sparks Governance Concerns

The absence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima from Nigeria has raised significant constitutional concerns among legal experts regarding governance and executive authority. President Tinubu has been outside the country since August 30 on a working vacation, which has now extended beyond the 21-day threshold stipulated by Section 145 (2) of the 1999 Constitution.

Constitutional lawyer Silas Onu criticized the situation, stating that the simultaneous absence of the country's top leaders is unprecedented and could lead to governance issues, particularly in emergencies requiring presidential powers. He emphasized that Nigeria is effectively "on autopilot" without a Commander-in-Chief.

Another lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, described the scenario as exposing a "dangerous constitutional loophole," questioning the legality of remote governance when key officials are abroad. While the Presidency claims Tinubu continues to direct affairs remotely, Ejimakor noted that this does not fulfill constitutional requirements for power transmission during absences.