Tinubu’s Absence: Shettima Fully Mandated To Represent Nigeria — FG

The federal government has moved to clarify President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying Vice President Kashim Shettima is leading Nigeria’s delegation with the president’s full mandate.

Minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris,said in a statement on Monday that Tinubu had authorised Shettima to represent him at the high-level gathering.

The Vice President is scheduled to deliver Nigeria’s national statement and take part in high-level meetings and bilateral engagements with world leaders, international organisations and development partners.

Beyond representing the president, Idris said Shettima’s engagements would focus on issues central to Nigeria’s international agenda, including peace and security, economic development, climate action, reform of the global financial architecture, sustainable development and international cooperation.

Tinubu’s absence has generated political commentary, particularly following criticism from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

But the information minister said the president was currently on annual leave and described the decision to have Shettima lead the delegation as neither unusual nor a diminution of Nigeria’s diplomatic standing.

“Speculation should not be presented to Nigerians or the international community as established fact,” Idris said, while acknowledging political opposition and public debate as legitimate features of democracy.

The minister also pushed back against attempts to link the president’s absence to the broader Nigeria-US relationship.

He described the relationship as encompassing trade and investment, security cooperation, energy, democratic institutions, regional stability and people-to-people ties.

According to Idris, those interests are managed through established diplomatic and governmental channels and should be distinguished from partisan political commentary and the activities of private lobbying organisations.

The government therefore urged the media and the public to separate verified information from political opinion and unsubstantiated claims when discussing Nigeria’s international engagements.

With Shettima leading the delegation, Idris said Nigeria’s interests would continue to be advanced at the General Assembly as the government engages international partners on issues affecting the country’s economic, security and diplomatic priorities.