….Presidential aide Ademola Osodi says Tinubu’s decision to stay in Nigeria is driven by domestic priorities, while Atiku Abubakar has demanded further explanation.
President Bola Tinubu’s decision to miss the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York has triggered renewed debate after the Presidency defended the move and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar called for an explanation.
Tinubu will not attend the 81st UN General Assembly in person, marking the third consecutive year that Vice President Kashim Shettima will represent Nigeria at the high-level gathering.
The Presidency has rejected suggestions that the President’s absence is connected to strained relations with the United States.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Osodi, said Tinubu had travelled to the United States previously and maintained engagements with American institutions and officials.
Presidency Dismisses US Travel Concerns
Osodi described suggestions that Tinubu was avoiding the United States because of difficulties with the country as an “old chestnut.”
The presidential aide recalled accompanying Tinubu to the United Nations during the President’s previous attendance.
He said Tinubu participated in several activities during that visit, including an engagement at the New York Stock Exchange.
Osodi also referred to a more recent trip when Tinubu and his delegation transited through Los Angeles while travelling to Japan.
According to the aide, the delegation spent several days in the United States before continuing to Yokohama.
Osodi said these previous visits demonstrated that there was no known restriction preventing the President from travelling to the United States.
His comments came amid renewed speculation about why Tinubu will not attend this year’s General Assembly personally.
Tinubu Focused on Domestic Priorities
The Presidency has explained the President’s absence by pointing to domestic priorities.
Osodi said Tinubu was concentrating on issues including Nigeria’s economy and security while maintaining that the country would continue to participate actively in international affairs.
“Nigeria has a diverse interest in all regional groups, continental groups and even groups of the South-South like the BRICS,” Osodi said.
He added that the United Nations was not the only international platform through which Nigeria could advance its interests.
The aide also argued that Tinubu’s absence would not change Nigeria’s position as a major African country or prevent the government from pursuing its international objectives.
The Presidency has therefore framed the decision as one involving the President’s priorities rather than an indication of a diplomatic problem between Nigeria and the United States.
Shettima Leads Nigerian Delegation
Vice President Kashim Shettima has been mandated to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st UN General Assembly.
Shettima is expected to deliver Nigeria’s national statement and participate in high-level meetings and bilateral engagements with world leaders, international organisations and development partners.
The General Debate is scheduled to run from September 22 to 28, 2026.
Nigeria’s delegation also includes senior government officials and the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim.
The Presidency has maintained that the delegation will adequately represent Nigeria’s interests during the General Assembly and associated diplomatic meetings.
Atiku Questions Third Consecutive Absence
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Presidency to explain Tinubu’s decision to stay away from the UNGA for the third consecutive year.
Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, raised the issue in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
According to Atiku, Tinubu did not attend the 79th UNGA in 2024 or the 80th in 2025, with Shettima representing Nigeria on both occasions.
He argued that although the Vice President could represent Nigeria, repeated delegation was different from the President personally attending a major international diplomatic gathering.
Atiku said the UNGA provides opportunities for heads of government to hold bilateral meetings, pursue investment and trade partnerships, and discuss development financing and international security.
He questioned whether Nigeria could obtain the same level of engagement when the President was not physically present.
Atiku also referred to earlier comments by Nigeria’s UN ambassador that arrangements had been made for Tinubu to sit near US President Donald Trump during the General Assembly.
Dispute Over Earlier Attendance Plans
The issue has attracted additional attention because Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim had previously indicated that Tinubu was expected to attend the 81st UNGA.
Ibrahim had said arrangements had been made for Nigeria’s President to have a prominent position during the gathering.
Following the decision for Shettima to lead the delegation, however, Ibrahim said Nigeria would retain its designated position at the General Assembly.
He also defended the decision to have the Vice President represent the country, noting that countries sometimes send senior officials instead of their presidents to major international meetings.
Questions Over Nigeria’s International Representation
The disagreement has consequently developed into a broader debate about presidential participation in international diplomacy.
The Presidency argues that Nigeria will remain fully represented through Shettima, its diplomatic representatives and other members of the delegation.
Atiku, meanwhile, maintains that personal presidential participation provides opportunities that cannot always be replicated through delegation.
The two positions reflect different assessments of the diplomatic value of direct presidential attendance.
There has been no official indication from the Presidency that Tinubu is legally barred from entering the United States. Osodi has specifically rejected suggestions that the President’s absence is linked to an inability to travel there.
Atiku has nevertheless asked the Presidency to provide more details about the circumstances behind the President’s decision.
He also questioned whether Tinubu’s previous legal history in the United States had any connection with his repeated absence, while acknowledging that he was not claiming that the President was legally prohibited from travelling to the country.
Nigeria’s Diplomatic Engagement Continues
Despite Tinubu’s absence, Nigeria remains represented at the UN General Assembly through Shettima, Ibrahim and other senior officials.
The Nigerian delegation is expected to participate in discussions covering development, climate finance, economic diplomacy and reform of the global financial system.
The Presidency has maintained that these engagements will allow Nigeria to pursue its interests even without the President attending personally.
The debate over Tinubu’s absence is therefore likely to continue alongside the 81st UNGA, particularly as political actors assess the diplomatic and economic significance of presidential participation.
For now, the established positions are clear: the Presidency says Tinubu’s absence is based on his priorities and does not reflect a problem with the United States, while Atiku has called for further explanation of the decision.
