AAC Raises Constitutional Questions Over Tinubu’s Extended Stay Abroad
The African Action Congress (AAC) has raised constitutional questions over President Bola Tinubu’s extended stay outside Nigeria, calling on the National Assembly to clarify whether the procedure provided under Section 145 of the Constitution has been followed.
The party made its position known in a press statement dated September 23, 2026, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rex I. Elanu.
According to the AAC, Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for a three-week vacation, while the Presidency announced on September 21 that the President had extended his stay abroad by a few more days.
The party argued that the development raises questions about the constitutional procedure governing a President’s absence from the country.
Section 145(1) of the 1999 Constitution provides that when the President proceeds on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, he is to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Section 145(2) further provides for action by the National Assembly where the required declaration is not transmitted within 21 days.
The AAC is asking Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen to clarify whether the required declaration was transmitted and, if not, whether the procedure contemplated under Section 145(2) should be activated.
The party said the issue was not simply about Tinubu’s vacation but about constitutional procedure, accountability and clarity regarding the exercise of presidential authority.
The Presidency, however, has maintained that Tinubu remains in contact with officials in Nigeria and continues to direct the affairs of the country while abroad. In its September 21 statement announcing the extension of his working vacation, the State House said the President had continued to direct national affairs and had taken official decisions while away.
The Presidency also said Tinubu was expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend. It stated that Vice-President Kashim Shettima had been delegated to represent the President at some official functions, including the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Presidential aide Daniel Bwala has also argued that Tinubu can govern Nigeria from outside the country, maintaining that the President’s constitutional powers are not dependent on his physical location.
The constitutional question has also attracted comments from other political figures and legal voices. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has separately questioned whether the constitutional procedure under Section 145 has been followed, while lawyer Inibehe Effiong has argued that the situation requires National Assembly intervention.
The debate comes as Tinubu remains in Europe and Shettima attends the UN General Assembly in New York.
The AAC has therefore urged the leadership of both chambers of the National Assembly to publicly clarify whether the required constitutional declaration was received and what steps, if any, have been taken in response.
The party said it would continue to advocate accountability and participatory democracy, stressing that Nigerians deserve clarity on the constitutional arrangements governing the President’s absence.
