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Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision not to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Ibrahim said Nigeria maintained a prominent position at the General Assembly despite Tinubu’s absence, with Vice President Kashim Shettima leading the country’s delegation.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Ibrahim said he would not have advised Tinubu to travel to New York after it became apparent that more than 60 per cent of scheduled speakers were being represented by vice presidents or foreign ministers.
According to him, there was little justification for the President to leave pressing national matters to deliver a speech of about 15 minutes when several other countries were also represented by senior officials.
Ibrahim noted that the presidents of South Africa, China, Russia and other countries were also absent from the gathering, while maintaining that Shettima adequately represented Nigeria.
The envoy also defended his earlier claim that he had secured a prominent seat for Tinubu at the General Assembly, close to United States President Donald Trump.
Ibrahim said Nigeria occupied the sixth position in the front row, arguing that the country retained the position even though Tinubu did not attend.
“You have to thank me and commend my effort. I said Nigeria will be in the front seat, was Nigeria not in the front seat?” Ibrahim said.
He added that Trump did not remain seated in the General Assembly chamber after delivering his address.
“Donald Trump have any seat in the general assembly? He didn’t sit for a second, he just came in to the podium, delivered a guest speech and left from there,” he said.
Ibrahim further stated that Nigeria’s position at the General Assembly demonstrated the diplomatic effort involved in securing the seat.
“I delivered on the fact that Nigeria will sit in the front row, number six,” he said.
He also said Tinubu could still be invited to address the UN General Assembly at an appropriate time.
The discussion also touched on the President’s extended stay in Europe. Ibrahim rejected suggestions that Tinubu had breached the Constitution during his absence from Nigeria.
“The president hasn’t committed any offence. Did he breach any provision of the Constitution?” Ibrahim asked, arguing that a working leave was different from an absolute leave.
Tinubu had travelled out of Nigeria on August 30 for an initially announced three-week annual vacation and later extended his stay. During his absence from the UNGA, Shettima represented Nigeria and delivered the country’s national statement.
The President returned to Nigeria from Paris on Tuesday after spending about four weeks in Europe.
