Presidency has dismissed questions over who is currently in charge of Nigeria, insisting that President Bola Tinubu can continue to exercise his constitutional powers from anywhere in the world.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, made the position known in a post on X on Monday while responding to questions raised by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi over the President’s absence from the country.
Tinubu is currently in Europe after extending his working vacation, while Vice President Kashim Shettima is in New York representing Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly. The State House said Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend.
Bwala argued that the President’s ability to govern is not dependent on his physical location, saying his constitutional responsibilities can be exercised even while he is outside Nigeria.
“It is funny how opposition candidates are asking the question who is in charge of Nigeria simply because the President and Vice President are out of the country,” Bwala said.
He added that, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the President could issue orders, give directives, delegate responsibilities and exercise his constitutional functions while abroad.
Bwala also challenged Atiku and Obi to explain what he described as a clear alternative to the Tinubu administration, accusing them of relying on what he called “populist rhetoric.”
His comments came amid renewed debate over the constitutional implications of Tinubu’s prolonged absence from Nigeria.
Atiku had questioned whether Tinubu transmitted a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives under Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution before proceeding on vacation.
Section 145 provides for a written declaration when the President proceeds on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office. It also provides for the Vice-President to perform the functions of President as Acting President in the circumstances specified by the Constitution.
The Presidency, however, maintains that Tinubu has remained engaged in the affairs of government while abroad. The State House said the President has continued to communicate with officials and direct government business, citing his order for an independent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Niger State as one of the decisions taken during his absence.
The development has placed renewed focus on the constitutional distinction between a President exercising his powers while abroad and the circumstances under which the Section 145 procedure applies.
For now, the Presidency maintains that Tinubu remains in charge of the government despite his absence from Nigeria, while opposition figures continue to question the constitutional arrangements surrounding his extended stay abroad.