The Presidency has rejected suggestions that President Bola Tinubu’s decision to miss the United Nations General Assembly for a third consecutive year is connected to problems with the United States.
Tinubu will not attend the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, with Vice President Kashim Shettima leading Nigeria’s delegation. The President also did not attend the 79th and 80th sessions in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Osodi, dismissed speculation about a possible US-related restriction, describing it as an “old chestnut.”
Osodi cited previous trips to the United States with the President, including Tinubu’s attendance at the UN in 2023. He also recalled a more recent trip when the Nigerian delegation transited through Los Angeles on its way to Yokohama, Japan.
“We were in America, I was there with them. So it is politics,” Osodi said.
According to the presidential aide, Tinubu’s attention is currently focused on domestic priorities, including the economy and security, as well as other international engagements. He argued that Nigeria’s influence would not be diminished by the President’s absence from the UN gathering.
“Nigeria has a diverse interest in all regional groups, continental groups and even groups of the South-South like the BRICS,” Osodi said, adding that the United Nations was not the country’s only international platform.
The decision has nevertheless drawn criticism from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has demanded an explanation for Tinubu’s repeated absence.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku argued that the UNGA provides world leaders with opportunities to pursue diplomatic, economic and investment interests through high-level meetings. He acknowledged that Shettima could represent Nigeria but maintained that repeated delegation could not replace the President’s personal participation.
Atiku also questioned reports that Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Jimoh Ibrahim, had arranged for Tinubu to sit near US President Donald Trump during the gathering.
“The seat was secured, but the President disappeared,” Atiku said.
The Presidency, however, maintains that Nigeria will remain fully represented at the UNGA and that Tinubu’s absence should not be interpreted as a reduction in the country’s diplomatic engagement
