Tinubu Can Govern from Abroad, Presidency Asserts

The Presidency clarified that President Bola Tinubu retains the authority to govern Nigeria regardless of his physical location. This statement was made by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, on a Monday in response to inquiries from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.

Both opposition figures questioned the leadership of Nigeria while Tinubu was in Paris and Vice President Kashim Shettima was attending the 81st United Nations General Assembly in the United States. Bwala emphasized that the President's constitutional powers are not geographically limited, citing Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution, which grants the President the authority to direct the country's affairs and act as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces from anywhere in the world.

He criticized the opposition for not providing a clear alternative to their criticisms, suggesting that their concerns were based on populist rhetoric.