Sowore Tells National Assembly To Remove Tinubu Over Failure To Handover To Shettima 

African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has called on the National Assembly to invoke Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution over President Bola Tinubu’s decision to extend his stay abroad beyond the initial 21-day vacation period.

Naija News reports that Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30, 2026, for a three-week vacation.

The 21-day period has since elapsed, but the Presidency announced on September 21 that the President had extended his stay abroad by a few more days.

The human rights activist said the development had created a constitutional situation that required the National Assembly to act, arguing that “the 21 days have expired” and lawmakers should begin the process provided by the Constitution.

He said Section 145 requires the President to transmit a written declaration to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives when proceeding on vacation, allowing the Vice-President to perform presidential functions as Acting President.

Sowore said where the President fails to transmit the declaration within 21 days, Section 145(2) provides that “the National Assembly shall, by simple majority in each House, mandate the Vice-President to perform those functions.”

He therefore urged the National Assembly to establish whether Tinubu transmitted the required declaration before leaving the country.

According to him, “no Section 145 declaration transferring presidential functions to Vice-President Kashim Shettima has been publicly established.”

Sowore also rejected the argument that Tinubu’s continued involvement in government affairs from abroad settles the constitutional question.

He said, “The Presidency cannot invent a ‘working vacation’ exception that does not appear in the Constitution,” adding that the President’s ability to direct affairs from outside the country should not replace the procedure set out in the Constitution.

He further questioned the Presidency’s statement that Tinubu remains on vacation while delegating Shettima to represent him at some official engagements.

Sowore called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen to disclose whether they received the declaration required under Section 145(1).

He said, “If they did not, the 21-day threshold has passed,” adding that the National Assembly should then begin the constitutional process for Shettima to perform the functions of President as Acting President.

Sowore said the issue goes beyond Tinubu’s vacation and concerns compliance with the country’s constitutional provisions.

“This is no longer about Tinubu’s vacation. It is about whether Nigeria will be governed according to its Constitution,” he said.