Atiku Abubakar Questions Tinubu's UNGA Absences

Atiku Abubakar, the ADC presidential candidate, has publicly questioned President Bola Tinubu regarding his absence from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the third consecutive year. Tinubu delegated Vice President Kashim Shettima to attend the 81st UNGA session in New York, USA, following similar absences in 2024 and 2025.

Atiku's Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, stated that this pattern of absence could no longer be dismissed as normal diplomatic delegation, emphasizing its economic implications for Nigerians. He noted that Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim, had secured a seat for Tinubu near the US President, yet Tinubu did not attend.

Atiku linked these absences to a 1993 legal proceeding in the US, where the government sought forfeiture of funds associated with Tinubu under narcotics trafficking and money laundering laws, resulting in the forfeiture of approximately $460,000. He demanded clarity on whether Tinubu faced any travel impediments to the US.