Senate President Godswill Akpabio addressed growing questions over who is running Nigeria while President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is abroadAkpabio insisted that Tinubu has continued to direct government business from outside Nigeria, pointing to a recent meeting with French President MacronThe remarks came amid a constitutional debate sparked by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over Section 145 of the 1999 ConstitutionPAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.FCT, Abuja – Senate President (SP) Godswill Akpabio has firmly rejected calls for President Bola Tinubu to hand over power to Vice President Kashim Shettima, saying there is no vacancy in the Nigerian presidency.Legit.ng reports that Akpabio made the remarks on Tuesday, September 22, in Akwa Ibom State, responding to mounting public debate over whether presidential authority is being properly exercised during Tinubu’s extended stay abroad.Senate President Godswill Akpabio says President Bola Tinubu remains in charge despite his working vacation abroad. Photo credit: s Source: UGCAkpabio said:PAY ATTENTION: From breaking news to viral moments. Follow Legit.ng on Instagram!”I am the Senate President and not the acting President of Nigeria because President Tinubu is still in power. He’s on a working leave, and there’s no absence in Aso Rock.”He pointed to Tinubu’s recent engagement with French President Emmanuel Macron as evidence that the president has remained active on official duties.”He was with French President Macron the other day.
I am the only person who can declare a vacancy and there will be vacancy. Right now, there is no vacancy,” Akpabio added.Furthermore, the Senate President argued that geography does not prevent the president from governing.”Asiwaju Tinubu is still in power, and he’s still running the affairs of Nigeria. The world is a global village, you can give instructions from the internet. So why are people complaining?” he asked.Tinubu’s extended stay abroadTinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for London before proceeding to Paris.
The presidency said on Monday, September 21, that his working vacation had been extended by a few more days and that he was expected back home at the weekend. During his time in Paris, the State House said Tinubu met Macron as well as businessman Vincent Bollore, and that he had stayed in contact with government officials throughout.The prolonged absence has drawn scrutiny, in part because Shettima also travelled to New York to represent Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly, leaving both principal offices outside the country at the same time.Tinubu’s absence ignites constitutional questionsSection 145 of the 1999 Constitution requires the president to write to the Senate president and the Speaker of the House of Representatives whenever he proceeds on vacation or is otherwise unable to carry out his duties. Section 146 separately covers succession if both the presidency and vice presidency fall vacant.Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar heightened the controversy by publicly questioning who holds constitutional authority in the current circumstances and calling for clarity on whether President Tinubu transmitted the written declaration required under Section 145.Akpabio, the National Assembly leader, did not directly address the question of whether such a letter had been sent, but maintained that the presidency remains occupied and that Tinubu continues to exercise his full authority as president.Watch Akpabio’s video below via the X post:Read more on TinubuPrimate Ayodele releases prophecy on top Tinubu’s appointee who may soon be sacked2027 general election: 3 reasons Tinubu may drop Shettima as his running matePublished autobiography shows Tinubu’s actual primary and secondary school, location mentionedChioma joins Davido on UNGA 2026 tripEarlier, Legit.ng reported that Chioma Adeleke is giving fans every reason to talk, and this time, it is her stylish appearance on a trip to the United Nations General Assembly that has set the internet buzzing.A video shared on Instagram captured the moment Davido and his entourage, including his wife Chioma, made their way to a private jet ahead of UNGA 2026. Source: Legit.ng Ridwan Adeola Yusuf (Current Affairs Editor) Ridwan Adeola Yusuf is a content writer with more than nine years of experience, He is also a Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng.
He holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from the Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State (2014). Ridwan previously worked at Africa Check, contributing to fact-checking research works within the organisation. He is an active member of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI). In March 2024, Ridwan completed the full Google News Initiative Lab workshop and his effort was recognised with a Certificate of Completion.
Email: ridwan.adeola@corp.legit.ng. Bola TinubuKashim ShettimaUSAAkwa Ibom StateGodswill Akpabio Us deportation Jared leto Elizabeth rizzini Visa waiver programme Unsent project alternatives
