The absence of President Bola Tinubu from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York has triggered another round of political controversy, with a spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s campaign alleging that the President stayed away from the United States because of fears of arrest.
Kenneth Okonkwo, a spokesperson for the Atiku campaign, made the allegation while discussing Tinubu’s absence from the annual global gathering, where Vice President Kashim Shettima is representing Nigeria.
Okonkwo questioned why Tinubu has not personally attended the UN General Assembly since his appearance at the 2023 session. He argued that the President’s repeated absence from the event raised questions about the reason for his decision to remain away from the United States...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
He specifically alleged that Tinubu was avoiding the country because of renewed attention surrounding historical US records and allegations connected to a 1993 civil forfeiture case.
The controversy relates to US court proceedings involving approximately $460,000 that was ultimately forfeited to the US government. Political opponents of Tinubu have repeatedly cited the case while questioning his relationship with US authorities.
However, the Presidency has rejected the suggestion that the matter amounts to a criminal case against Tinubu. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga has described the current dispute as a civil records disclosure matter under the US Freedom of Information Act, stressing that Tinubu has not been found guilty of criminal wrongdoing in connection with the case.
There have also been claims that Tinubu could face arrest if he travelled to the United States for the UN General Assembly. Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, previously said the Nigerian Mission in New York had received no communication from the US government indicating that Tinubu was restricted from travelling to or entering the United States.
Ibrahim also pointed to protections available to representatives of UN member states participating in official United Nations activities under the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement.
Tinubu’s absence has nevertheless remained a subject of political debate. The Presidency has said the President’s current absence from Nigeria is connected to his extended working vacation and that he has continued to oversee government affairs while abroad.
The President attended the UN General Assembly in 2023, while Shettima represented Nigeria at the 2024 and 2025 sessions. Shettima is again leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 2026 gathering.
The latest allegation from the Atiku campaign therefore adds another dimension to an already contentious debate over Nigeria’s diplomatic visibility and Tinubu’s repeated absence from one of the world’s major diplomatic gatherings.
For now, there is no reported official indication that Tinubu is subject to an arrest order or travel restriction in the United States. The claim that his absence is specifically motivated by fear of arrest remains an allegation from his political opponents and has been disputed by the Presidency and Nigerian diplomatic officials.
