No vacuum in leadership, says presidential aide

With President Bola Tinubu and his Vice President Kashimu Shettima abroad, the Presidency made it clear on Wednesday that there was no leadership void in the nation.

The clarification, according to a statement from Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Advisor to the President, Information and Strategy, was made in response to questions from the media about who was in charge of our nation.

“Even while they are away, the President and Vice President remain actively involved in the activities of the country. There’s no lack of leadership in this nation.

“President Tinubu left the country on Oct. 3 and is on a two-week working vacation. He has been occupied during this period answering phones and giving orders about matters of state.

Before the vacation even officially ends, he will return to the country, according to Onanuga.

He clarified that all government agencies were operating normally even though the vice president left the nation on Wednesday for an important visit to Sweden.

The efficient running of the government is ensured by the Senate President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ministers, and Service Chiefs in their various roles.

When it was discovered that former Vice President Osinbajo and President Buhari were both abroad at the same time in 2022, we had a similar circumstance.

“Osinbajo took part in Queen Elizabeth I’s funeral, while President Buhari attended UNGA 77,” he stated.

He claimed that in late April and early May of this administration, a comparable circumstance also existed.

After traveling to the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia to attend the World Economic Forum, Shettima left Nigeria for Nairobi to attend the Heads of State Summit of the International Development Association (IDA21) while Tinubu was in London.

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“After coming back, he traveled to Dallas, Texas, to attend the Corporate Council on Africa’s US-Africa Business Summit.

On May 8, President Tinubu went back home. The government’s apparatus continued to function during this period, according to the Special Advisor.

According to Onanuga, “the Constitution does not expressly require the physical presence of either the president or the vice president in the country at all times to fulfill his duties, which is a testament to our adaptability in the virtual age.”