Atiku demands Tinubu explain third straight UNGA absence as Nigerians bear cost
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar demanded a full explanation from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for missing the United Nations General Assembly for the third consecutive year, saying the pattern harms Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic interests. Atiku’s spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, issued the statement on Sunday, September 20, 2026, after Tinubu directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st UNGA in New York.
Atiku argued that the president’s absence deprives Nigeria of bilateral meetings, investor courting, trade partnership negotiations and development finance opportunities, ultimately translating into fewer jobs, weaker naira and higher import costs that worsen the country’s cost‑of‑living crisis. He also questioned whether Tinubu’s alleged documented history with United States law‑enforcement agencies has become a burden on foreign relations, insisting Nigerians deserve to know if any impediment exists.
Will Tinubu finally break the streak and attend UNGA himself, or will Nigerians continue to absorb the economic and diplomatic cost of his repeated absence?