By Our Correspondent
The controversy surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York has taken another political turn, with a media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar mocking the President’s continued stay in France.
Paul Ibe, a media aide to Atiku Abubakar, described Tinubu’s situation in sharply critical terms, suggesting that the Nigerian President had moved from expectations of occupying a prominent position at the United Nations gathering to remaining in France while other world leaders attend the high-level session.
Ibe’s comments come amid renewed debate over Tinubu’s decision not to personally attend the 81st UN General Assembly, where Vice President Kashim Shettima is leading Nigeria’s delegation.
The President’s absence has generated criticism from opposition figures, particularly Atiku, who has questioned why Tinubu would miss the global diplomatic gathering for the third consecutive year.
Tinubu was absent from the 79th UN General Assembly in 2024 and the 80th session in 2025, with Shettima representing Nigeria on both occasions. The Presidency again announced this year that the Vice President would lead Nigeria’s delegation to New York.
The controversy became more pronounced after Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, had earlier indicated that arrangements had been made for Tinubu to occupy a prominent position close to United States President Donald Trump.
Atiku subsequently questioned why such arrangements were made if the President ultimately had no intention of attending the gathering.
The former Vice President argued that while the Vice President could represent Nigeria, the repeated absence of the President from one of the world’s most important diplomatic platforms raised questions about Nigeria’s international engagement.
The Presidency, however, has rejected the criticisms and maintained that Nigeria is being fully represented at the General Assembly.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said Shettima was representing the President and would deliver Nigeria’s national statement while participating in high-level engagements on behalf of the country.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN also said there was nothing unusual about a country being represented by its vice president or foreign minister at the General Assembly, noting that many countries had similar arrangements.
According to the Nigerian mission, Tinubu’s absence is linked to his extended working vacation in Europe, during which he has continued to undertake official engagements.
The President has been in Europe since leaving Nigeria on August 30, initially for a three-week annual leave in London before proceeding to France.
During his stay in France, Tinubu held official engagements and met with French business interests. He was also received at a private dinner by French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
The timing of Tinubu’s stay in France has nevertheless become a major talking point because Macron travelled to New York for the United Nations General Assembly while Tinubu remained in France.
It was against this backdrop that Ibe used the “housekeeper” description to mock the President, portraying his continued stay in France as politically embarrassing.
The comment has added fresh fuel to an already heated debate over presidential attendance at international diplomatic events and Nigeria’s visibility on the global stage.
Supporters of the President have defended the decision, arguing that Nigeria remains adequately represented through the Vice President and that the country’s interests can be effectively advanced by a high-level delegation.
Critics, however, continue to argue that the personal presence of a president at major international gatherings carries diplomatic and symbolic significance that cannot always be replicated by delegation.
The disagreement therefore goes beyond Tinubu’s physical absence from New York and touches on broader questions about presidential diplomacy, Nigeria’s international image and the role of the President in representing the country at major global forums.
As the 81st UN General Assembly continues, Vice President Shettima is expected to represent Nigeria in discussions covering global economic reforms, sustainable development, climate finance, technology and Africa’s role in international decision-making.
The political controversy over Tinubu’s absence is meanwhile expected to continue, with the opposition using the development to question the President’s international engagements, while the Presidency maintains that Nigeria’s interests are being adequately represented.
For now, the “housekeeper in France” remark has become the latest provocative phrase in the political debate surrounding Tinubu’s decision to remain in Europe while Nigeria participates in the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
