Atiku Questions Tinubu’s Third Straight UNGA Absence as Shettima Leads Nigeria’s Delegation
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has questioned President Bola Tinubu’s decision not to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, marking the third consecutive year that Vice President Kashim Shettima will represent Nigeria at the gathering.
The Presidency announced that Shettima would lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 2026 UNGA, which begins its high-level general debate on September 22. The United Nations says the General Assembly brings together all 193 member states, while the annual high-level debate provides a major platform for heads of state and government to present their priorities and engage on global issues.
Atiku, who is the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, said the repeated absence required an explanation from the Presidency.
Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, former Vice President and ADC Presidential Candidate
Atiku Questions Repeated Presidential Absence
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku noted that Tinubu did not attend the 79th UNGA in 2024 or the 80th session in 2025, with Shettima representing him on both occasions. He argued that another delegation in 2026 could no longer simply be treated as routine representation.
Atiku said the UN General Assembly provides opportunities for national leaders to hold bilateral meetings, pursue investment and trade partnerships, mobilise development financing and engage directly on issues affecting their countries.
He argued that while the Vice President could represent Nigeria, repeated presidential absence could reduce the opportunity for the President to personally engage other world leaders.
Atiku also raised questions about reports concerning Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim, and an alleged arrangement for Tinubu to have a seat close to United States President Donald Trump during the gathering.
He further questioned reports of substantial spending on American lobbyists, asking what Nigerians had received in return.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria
Atiku Raises Tinubu’s US Legal History
The former Vice President also connected his questions about the President’s absence to Tinubu’s past legal history in the United States.
Atiku cited a 1993 forfeiture case in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and referred to court proceedings involving funds held in Tinubu’s name and associated companies.
He said the proceedings resulted in the forfeiture of about $460,000 to the US government.
Importantly, Atiku himself stated that he was not claiming that Tinubu is legally barred from entering the United States. He said the Presidency had announced no such restriction.
His questions about whether the President’s past US legal controversies have any connection to his absence from UNGA therefore remain political claims and questions raised by Atiku, rather than an established explanation for the President’s decision.
Vice President of Nigeria, H.E. Kassim Shettima
Presidency Rejects Concerns Over Nigeria’s International Role
The Presidency has pushed back against the criticism.
Speaking on Channels Television’s, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Osodi, said Tinubu’s absence would not affect Nigeria’s international position.
Osodi said the President was concentrating on domestic priorities, including the economy and security, while continuing to engage through other international platforms.
He also pointed to Nigeria’s participation in regional, continental and South-South groupings, including BRICS, arguing that the United Nations is not the country’s only avenue for international engagement.
Osodi also dismissed suggestions that Tinubu has a problem with the United States that prevents him from travelling there, describing the argument as an “old chestnut.”
He cited Tinubu’s previous travel to the United States and said the issue had become political during election cycles.
The Presidency also says Nigeria will be adequately represented in New York, with Shettima leading the delegation and Jimoh Ibrahim participating as the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Why The UNGA Matters
The 81st UN General Assembly session opened on September 8, while its high-level week runs from September 22 to 29 in New York. The general debate is scheduled for September 22–26 and September 28.
For Nigeria, the debate over Tinubu’s attendance goes beyond one diplomatic appearance. It raises questions about how the country balances presidential representation at major international forums with domestic priorities, and how much of Nigeria’s diplomatic agenda can be effectively advanced through presidential delegation.
For now, the two sides offer different interpretations: Atiku argues that three consecutive presidential absences deserve a clear explanation, while the Presidency maintains that Nigeria’s international role remains intact and that Tinubu is prioritising domestic and other international engagements.
The 81st UNGA will therefore provide the setting for Shettima and Nigeria’s wider delegation to represent the country’s interests as the diplomatic debate over the President’s absence continues at home.
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