Controversy Rages Over Tinubu’s Absence At UNGA

For the third time in a row, Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has avoided attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the 81st edition currently holding in New York, United States, has stirred controversy in Nigeria as the Nigerian Opposition has accused Tinubu of ‘running Away’ from arrest  for alleged drugs offences.

It appears that since President Donald Trump was sworn in as President, Tinubu has not visited the US. Vice President Kashim Shettima is leading Nigeria’s delegation  where world leaders are gathered and discussing issues pertaining to wars, climate change, artificial intelligence, and the mounting global energy crisis following the fallout of the US and Israeli War on Iran and the concomitant economic pressures.

Experts believe that the issues dominating the 81st Session of the UNGA have direct implications for Nigeria, from food and energy prices and climate financing to conflicts, technological disruption and the reform of global institutions.

Nigeria and Africa are enmeshed in multiple crises such as food insecurity, and according to the Food and Agricultural Programme of the United Nations, about 35 million Nigerians are facing food shortages in 2026.

Nigeria is also suffering from a high rate of poverty and according to the World Bank, Nigeria is suffering 63% multidimensional poverty, inflation is as high as over 15%. Africa’s insecurity in the Sahel, the reform of the UN institutions and other crucial issues that concern Africa will be discussed at the UNGA. If the President of Nigeria, the biggest black nation in the world is not available during this time, it may not speak well about the country as many people might not take Nigeria seriously.

Climate change, climate financing and politics will dominate the engagement and it is said that the new UN Secretary General will emerge from this session.

Perhaps the most crushing to Nigerians are the rising prices of petroleum products. As of today, Thursday price of Premium Motor Spirit popularly called fuel is about N1, 500 following the removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Tinubu during his inauguration, and the subsequent devaluation of the naira.

It is a trying moment for Nigerians but the Tinubu administration has assured that the fuel crisis was caused by the global situation triggered by the war in Iran and the increasing   energy crises being inflicted on the world by the Houthis in Yemen and their disruption of important trade routes.

These issues are on the front burner in the UNGA, in which nearly 130 heads of state and government are expected to attend the High-level meeting in New York, with the General Debate running to September 28.

It is not unusual for leaders of countries to be absent from the UNGA, but not consecutively or without any cogent reasons.  For instance, the President of China, Xi Jinping will not attend the UNGA but he will be hosted by President Trump in another event in the US. South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa is reported to have informed the UN authorities that he will not attend due to ill-health.  German Chancellor, Joachim-Friedrich Martin Josef Merz, is to be absent due to his commitments to resolving some domestic issues in his country.

President Tinubu’s absence because he is on vacation as announced by the Presidency appears not to sit well with observers, who consider the excuse not plausible enough.

While some Nigerians believe that the absence of the President Tinubu was a setback for Nigeria, others posit that his absence will not be felt because the Vice President Shettima is making a strong representation with equally technically savvy experts’ team that will engage in critical sectors.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the UNGA meeting, Governor of Zamfara state Dauda Lawal, one of the governors in the delegation, said that the Vice President is making a presentation prepared by the President which is enormously rich in content and represents the values, the philosophy and the agenda that Nigeria presents for its vital national interest and for world peace and security.

This position was also supported by retired ambassador Joe Keshi, who in a recent chart posited that there is no fuss about the President being absent at UNGA, stressing that what matters is that Nigeria makes a good representation and the Vice President is already doing that.

Reacting to the Absence of Tinubu, however, former Vice President Atiku  Abubakar,  who is also the Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC),in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku, said Tinubu was absent from the 79th UNGA in 2024 and the 80th in 2025, with Shettima representing him on both occasions and now the 81st edition, stressing that there is no plausible excuse for the consecutive absence by the President and raised suspicion about the matter.

“The United Nations General Assembly is one of the world’s most important diplomatic gatherings. It brings together the representatives of the UN’s 193 member states and provides a unique platform for presidents and prime ministers to defend their countries’ interests, negotiate partnerships and shape global decisions on trade, security and development,” Atiku said.

“When a President makes himself absent from that stage for three consecutive years, his country loses opportunities,” Atiku added.

He also questioned the earlier announcement by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, that arrangements had been made for Tinubu to attend the 81st UNGA and sit close to United States President Donald Trump.

Ibrahim had said in July that provisions had been made for Tinubu to sit near Trump. Following the Presidency’s announcement that Shettima would represent Tinubu, Ibrahim said Nigeria would retain its designated front-row position and continue to participate fully in the General Assembly.

Atiku also linked Tinubu’s absence to Nigeria’s reported $9 million contract with Washington-based DCI Group for lobbying services.

There were reports, which show that the Federal Government engaged DCI Group through an intermediary on a contract initially valued at $4.5 million for six months, with a renewal that could take the total value to $9 million. The reports said the engagement was intended to help Nigeria communicate its position to US policymakers, particularly on security and counter-terrorism issues.

Atiku questioned the rationale for spending millions of dollars on US lobbying while the President repeatedly stayed away from the UN gathering in New York.

In a related development the  presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, alleged that President Bola Tinubu cannot attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, in New York, United States, because he fears arrest by the US government over an alleged drug-trafficking case.

Sowore made the allegation in a post on X while reacting to Tinubu’s absence from the UNGA.

Sowore said “There is something inherently wrong with Nigeria. To think that the Tinubu @officialABAT mummified showcasing and stunts in Paris just went like that, coupled with his inability to go to the UN General Assembly which I heard is because of his mortal fear that the US govt could order his arrest for his past drug-dealing case, is just surprising.”

Public intellectual, Dr. Katch Ononuju towed the same line of thinking. He told LEADERSHIP on Thursday that Tinubu is nursing fear that he could be arrested for his alleged drug offences in the US and given the Nicolas Maduro treatment.

He said “Tinubu has actionable intelligence that the Americans will arrest him over his alleged involvement in narcotic trade in the past in the US.”

When asked about the possibility of this arrest since Tinubu will be operating from the UN building which provides immunity for sitting presidents, Dr. Ononuju said “Immunity covers him only at the UN building,”  there are many other places where he could be arrested, which are within the jurisdiction of the US government.

President Tinubu is reportedly battling in a US court to stop his past records from being made public, especially over the forfeiture of $460 dollars allegedly linked to narcotics trafficking in his name.