Akpabio Says No Vacancy in Aso Rock as Tinubu Continues Duties Abroad

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed suggestions that there is a vacancy in Nigeria’s presidency, saying President Bola Tinubu remains in charge of the country despite being outside Nigeria.

Akpabio made the remarks in Akwa Ibom while inaugurating road projects carried out by Governor Umo Eno.

The Senate President said Tinubu’s absence from the country should not be interpreted as a transfer of presidential authority, stressing that the President was away on what he described as a working leave.

“I am not the acting president, because the president is still in power. The president is on a working leave. So, there’s no absence in Aso Rock,” Akpabio said.

According to him, Tinubu continues to perform his official responsibilities while abroad and can issue directives and conduct government business remotely.

“What he cannot do here, he is doing abroad. The world has become a global village; you can give instructions from the internet about anything, so why are people complaining?” he said.

Akpabio also pointed to Tinubu’s recent international engagements, including a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, as evidence that the President remains active in carrying out his official duties.

His comments followed reactions on social media over the simultaneous absence of Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima from Nigeria. While Tinubu was in France, Shettima was attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Akpabio said the Vice-President travelled to represent Nigeria at the UN gathering because Tinubu was unable to attend.

He further maintained that there was no constitutional or political vacancy in the presidency, saying that as chairman of the National Assembly, he was in a position to speak on the matter.

“There’s no vacancy; people who are talking are just talking,” Akpabio said. “Right now, there is no vacancy. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is still in power and is still running the affairs of Nigeria.”

The Senate President also dismissed concerns over Tinubu’s absence, using a humorous analogy to criticise those questioning the situation.

He said some of the complaints were similar to “people who are drinking water and say give me toothpick,” suggesting that the criticism was unnecessary.

Akpabio’s remarks come as discussions continue over the President’s overseas engagements and the constitutional roles of the President, Vice-President and National Assembly leadership when senior officials are outside the country.