Trump: Tinubu At UNGA Would Make No Difference – Anyim

Former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, has dismissed concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), saying the reported arrangement for the Nigerian leader to sit beside United States President Donald Trump would not have changed much.

Naija News reports that Anyim argued that sitting next to the US President would not necessarily translate into a meaningful engagement, noting that Trump’s programme for the international gathering would have been planned well in advance.

The former Senate President spoke during an interview on Arise News, where he also said Nigerians already knew Tinubu was on vacation and had delegated Vice President, Kashim Shettima to represent him at the UNGA.

Anyim said he could not understand the concerns about Tinubu’s absence, stressing that the President was not constitutionally required to attend the annual UN gathering in person.

He said, “I don’t understand why his absence should be an issue, but I think Nigerians are aware; they very well know that the President is on a short vacation.

“And his vice is in charge while he is away, and he simply assigns his vice to undertake the assignment. I don’t know why we are making so much out of this. Well, there is nothing that compels the President to be at UNGA. The Vice President can represent the country, or even the Foreign Minister.”

Tinubu had mandated Shettima to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st UNGA in New York, where the Vice President is expected to deliver Nigeria’s national statement and participate in high-level engagements.

Responding to questions about the message Tinubu’s absence could send to Africa and the international community, Anyim said the President’s physical presence was not necessarily required for the core proceedings of the General Assembly.

He explained that the UNGA programme consisted largely of national statements as well as bilateral and multilateral side meetings.

“The structure of UNGA is the General Assembly and side meetings. Side meetings could be bilateral; side meetings could be a little multilateral and all that.

“And what is it in that General Assembly statement? It is simply to read the statement from your country. Is this something that the Vice President cannot do?” he asked.

Anyim, however, noted that the situation could be different if Tinubu had previously scheduled important bilateral or multilateral meetings that required his personal attendance.

“If the President did not schedule side meetings, and it’s only to appear in the General Assembly to present a statement, I don’t know what he [Tinubu] is losing. So, except if there are side meetings that were scheduled and he is not able to attend those side meetings,” he said.

On reports that Tinubu was expected to sit beside Trump during the UNGA, Anyim said the seating arrangement should not be given undue significance.

“We don’t take any president by chance. The fact that you sit together with President [Trump] doesn’t make any difference,” he said.

According to him, the US President’s engagements at the UNGA were planned long before the event, making the seating arrangement less significant than some commentators suggested.

“The President of America normally would have his schedule a year ahead. So, I don’t see the reason for all the whole fuss about the presence at UNGA and not being present at UNGA,” Anyim added.