The Presidency accuses Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi of “feigning” ignorance about President Bola Tinubu’s whereabouts after Obi criticized Tinubu’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
In a response, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, says Obi’s criticism amounts to pretending not to know where Tinubu is. Onanuga points out that other African leaders, including South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa and Egypt’s Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, were also absent from UNGA, but he says their countries did not face similar public controversy.
The outlets report that Onanuga adds Tinubu has plans for a scheduled break and that Nigeria is represented at UNGA by Vice President Kashim Shettima. The Presidency also states Tinubu will return to Nigeria to observe the 66th Independence Anniversary and to honour MKO Abiola, and that he is expected to return after travel from Paris, France, before spending time in Lagos and then moving to Abuja. The story centers on Obi’s remarks and the Presidency’s rebuttal regarding Tinubu’s location and why he is not attending UNGA.
