Effiong Critiques Tinubu's Extended Absence from Nigeria

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has condemned President Bola Tinubu's absence from Nigeria for over 21 days without an official handover of power, labeling it a violation of constitutional duty. Effiong made these remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday.

He emphasized that both President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima being out of the country simultaneously constitutes a "brazen violation" of the 1999 Constitution. Tinubu has been on vacation since August 30 and recently extended his stay, while Shettima left Abuja on September 20 to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Effiong referenced Section 145 of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates that the President must formally transfer power when on vacation or unable to perform official duties. He argued that Tinubu's failure to do so is an abdication of his constitutional mandate and called for the National Assembly to take action.