‘Nigeria Will Be Governed Remotely Until Tinubu Returns’ – Hakeem Baba-Ahmed

The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has said Nigeria would be governed remotely until President Bola Tinubu returns to the country.

Naija News reports that Baba-Ahmed made the remark while reacting to Tinubu’s extension of his leave while in Paris, France.

Recall that Tinubu extended his working vacation in Europe by a few days and is now expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend, while Vice President Kashim Shettima departed Nigeria for New York, United States, for the ongoing 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Reacting to the development, Baba-Ahmed, in a post via his 𝕏, said Tinubu and Shettima were absent from Nigeria at a time when the country wanted a change of leadership.

He wrote: “PBAT, C-in-C has extended his leave at a time VP is out of the country. We will be governed remotely until the President returns. At a time Nigerians are preparing to say we want more of this type of leadership or a major change. PBAT must know something we don’t.”

Meanwhile, the Presidency has said President Bola Tinubu can continue to govern Nigeria regardless of his physical location.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, made the clarification on Monday while responding to comments from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.

The two opposition figures had questioned who was effectively in charge of Nigeria while Tinubu is currently in Paris and Vice President Kashim Shettima is in the United States for the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

Bwala argued that the President’s ability to exercise his constitutional powers does not depend on his physical presence within Nigeria.

According to him, the Constitution gives the President authority to direct the affairs of the country and exercise his responsibilities as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces even when he is outside Nigeria.

He referred to Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution as the legal basis for the President’s executive powers.