Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly, insisting that Nigeria maintained its prominent diplomatic position despite the President’s failure to attend.
Ibrahim, who had earlier announced that he secured a front-row seat close to United States President Donald Trump for Tinubu, said he delivered on his promise by ensuring Nigeria occupied the sixth position in the front row.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, the Nigerian envoy said he would not have recommended Tinubu’s trip to New York after discovering that more than 60 per cent of scheduled speakers were being represented by vice presidents or foreign ministers.
He argued that it would have been unnecessary for the President to abandon pressing national responsibilities to deliver a speech lasting approximately 15 minutes, particularly when several world leaders were also absent.
Ibrahim cited the absence of the presidents of South Africa, China and Russia, maintaining that Vice President Kashim Shettima adequately represented Nigeria at the gathering.
Addressing criticism over his earlier promise concerning Tinubu’s seating arrangement alongside Trump, Ibrahim said the American President did not remain in the General Assembly chamber after delivering his address.
He argued that Trump would have been seated behind Nigeria had he stayed, insisting that securing the country’s sixth position in the front row was itself a significant diplomatic achievement.
“You have to thank me and commend my effort. I said Nigeria will be in the front seat, was Nigeria not in the front seat?” Ibrahim said.
The envoy added that Tinubu would be invited to address the General Assembly at an appropriate time.
The debate over Nigeria’s representation at the UNGA comes amid controversy surrounding Tinubu’s four-week stay in Europe, which included a vacation and official engagements in London and Paris.
Opposition figures, including African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, questioned the constitutional implications of the President’s prolonged absence, particularly whether he had transmitted a written declaration to the National Assembly under Section 145 of the Constitution.
Ibrahim dismissed the concerns, arguing that Tinubu’s working vacation did not constitute a constitutional breach.
“The president hasn’t committed any offence. Did he breach any provision of the Constitution? A working leave is completely different from absolute leave,” he said, adding that public officials, like other people, require time away from work.
The Presidency had initially announced that Tinubu departed Nigeria on August 30 for a three-week annual vacation, travelling first to London before proceeding to Paris, where he held several official meetings.
His stay was subsequently extended, during which Shettima led Nigeria’s delegation to the UNGA, delivered the country’s national statement and participated in high-level engagements.
The Presidency maintained that the Vice President was acting with Tinubu’s full mandate and that the President remained in contact with developments at home.
