Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently representing Nigeria at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in the United States, following President Bola Tinubu’s decision to delegate the assignment.
The President, who extended his stay abroad for a private visit and other engagements after an initial working vacation, has faced public scrutiny over his absence from the annual event.
While addressing the issue on ARISE NEWS’ Prime Time on Monday, former Senate President Pius Anyim dismissed concerns over the matter, asserting that there was nothing unusual about the arrangement. Anyim, an All Progressives Congress chieftain and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, explained that the Vice President possesses full constitutional capacity to act on the country’s behalf, adding that even the Foreign Minister could fulfill the role.
“I really don’t understand why his absence should be an issue. I think Nigerians know very well that the President is on short leave, a short vacation. He simply assigned his Vice President to undertake the assignment,” Anyim said, noting that numerous other heads of state also routinely skip the gathering.
The former Senate President clarified the structure of the assembly, noting that it consists of the main session alongside various bilateral and multilateral side meetings. Delivering the national address simply involves reading an official statement, a task well within the Vice President’s mandate, making the President’s presence vital only if specific pre-arranged personal commitments were scheduled.
Furthermore, Anyim rejected suggestions that the President’s absence would cost Nigeria a diplomatic opportunity to confer with United States President Donald Trump. He emphasised that such high-level diplomatic interactions are arranged well in advance rather than by chance, stating, “The fact that you sit together with the President doesn’t mean anything. The President of America normally would have a schedule set ahead of time.”