By Myke Uzendu
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has questioned the constitutional status of presidential authority in Nigeria following the continued absence of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima from the country.
The opposition party, in a statement on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the development raised questions about compliance with Section 145 of the Constitution.
The ADC said Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 and had been outside the country for more than 21 days, stressing that the Constitution provides a procedure for the transfer of presidential functions when the President proceeds on vacation.
“President Tinubu left Nigeria on 30 August and has now been away for more than 21 days. We therefore demand to know whether the required declaration was transmitted by the President,” the party said.
It also asked why the National Assembly had not acted if the President failed to transmit the declaration contemplated by Section 145.
The party rejected explanations that Tinubu was on a “working vacation” or that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, could represent the President at official functions.
The ADC argued that representation at official events did not confer the constitutional powers of the President or Acting President on the SGF.
“Representing the President at events and ceremonies does not confer constitutional powers. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation is a mere appointee of the President,” the party said.
It added: “Representation is not governance. Attendance at official functions is not presidential authority. Nigeria cannot be governed through ceremonial proxies, telephone calls and press statements issued from foreign capitals.”
The opposition party further rejected the argument that Tinubu could continue directing affairs of government from abroad, insisting that a “working vacation” was not a constitutional category capable of replacing the procedure established by Section 145.
