A lawyer has described the continued absence of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima from Nigeria as a clear breach of the constitution, according to Channels Television. The report was published on Tuesday, 22 September 2026.
Channels Television also reported that the African Democratic Congress warned the situation sets a "dangerous precedent." The broadcaster did not name the lawyer in its headline.
The criticism extends across the political spectrum. The Peoples Democratic Party, in a statement attributed to Atiku Abubakar and the Turaki-led faction, asked who is in charge of Nigeria, TheCable reported. Senate President Godswill Akpabio has said he is not acting president, according to Daily Trust.
Punch Newspapers reported that Tinubu extended a vacation in Europe and is expected to return at the weekend. The reports do not state how long the two leaders have been away or where the vice president is.
Under Nigeria's constitution, the president and vice president are required to notify the National Assembly when they are unable to discharge their duties, and the Senate president is next in the line of succession. The reports above do not say whether any such notification was made.
The office of the president has not responded to the claims in the reports reviewed here.
What to watch next: whether Tinubu returns as Punch reported, and whether the presidency or the National Assembly addresses the questions raised about who is exercising executive authority.
