Sowore Demands National Assembly Action on Tinubu's Vacation

Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, has called on the National Assembly to invoke Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution regarding President Bola Tinubu's extended stay abroad. Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30, 2026, for a three-week vacation, which has since elapsed.

On September 21, the Presidency announced an extension of his stay. Sowore argued that this situation necessitates action from the National Assembly, as Section 145 mandates the President to transmit a written declaration to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives when going on vacation, allowing the Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, to act in his stead.

He emphasized that if no declaration was transmitted within the 21-day period, the National Assembly must mandate Shettima to perform presidential functions. Sowore rejected the notion that Tinubu's remote governance suffices and questioned the legitimacy of the Presidency's claims regarding the vacation status and delegation of duties to Shettima.