Professor Odinkalu: Tinubu's France trip makes Nigeria ungoverned territory
Professor Chidi Odinkalu told Channels Television on Thursday that President Bola Tinubu's 24‑day stay in France has left Nigeria effectively ungoverned. He argued that the Constitution's 21‑day rule for transmitting power actually means 21 working days — about four weeks — and that Tinubu has now passed that threshold. Odinkalu said the President's behaviour mirrors Nigerians who "japa" abroad to take low‑paid jobs, describing it as "squalid" and saying Nigeria is being run by house‑sitters while the President looks after Europe. He noted that other leaders, such as Cameroon's Paul Biya, also spend short periods at home while based elsewhere, but the pattern shows a casual attitude toward governance. Odinkalu warned that treating the Secretary to the Government of the Federation as a stand‑in is unacceptable and that the country cannot take itself seriously if leaders abandon their posts. The comments come amid broader concerns about insecurity and governance gaps in Nigeria. This raises the question: who is actually exercising presidential power while Tinubu is abroad, and should Nigerians insist on a formal transfer of authority?