Tinubu Departs for Three-Week Europe Vacation Without Formally Handing Power to Shettima
President Bola Tinubu departed Abuja on Sunday, August 30, 2026, to begin a three-week vacation in Europe, with the Presidency remaining silent on whether Vice President Kashim Shettima would be formally handed presidential authority during his absence.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed the trip in a statement, saying Tinubu would begin his annual leave with a stop in London before continuing on to other parts of Europe, though the Presidency did not disclose the president’s full itinerary or the exact date of his return. Onanuga’s statement stopped short of indicating whether Tinubu would transmit a formal declaration to the National Assembly notifying lawmakers of his temporary absence, a step required under the constitution for Shettima to assume the functions of the presidency in an acting capacity.
Speaking to journalists at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport shortly before Tinubu’s departure, his Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, described the trip as a “working vacation,” saying the president would continue to monitor key national developments and receive regular briefings from senior government officials despite being away from Nigeria. Onanuga similarly indicated that Tinubu is expected to return home following the vacation to join the campaign for the January 2027 general election.
Under Nigeria’s constitution, a president who proceeds on vacation or becomes temporarily unable to discharge his duties may transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, after which the vice president assumes the functions of the presidency in an acting capacity until the president formally declares himself available to resume office. Should a president fail to transmit such a declaration within 21 days, the constitution allows the National Assembly, by simple majority resolution in each chamber, to mandate the vice president to act as president until the president notifies the National Assembly of his return. Tinubu has not handed over power to his deputy on a temporary basis at any point since assuming office in May 2023, a departure from the practice of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, who regularly transferred power to his vice president during his own extended absences from the country, though he later discontinued the practice as well.
Tinubu’s departure comes just two days after Shettima himself returned from an earlier period of leave, having resumed official duties on August 18 following a 12-day break that began on August 6. That leave, described by the Vice President’s office as time set aside for study, reflection and intellectual renewal as Shettima reviewed government initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda, ended two days ahead of its scheduled conclusion. Following his return, Shettima resumed official engagements before departing Abuja again on Saturday, August 29, this time for Luanda, Angola, where he is currently representing Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly. He is expected to return to Nigeria later this week.
The overlapping absences of Nigeria’s two most senior political leaders have drawn scrutiny from some security analysts. Security expert Dr Kabir Adamu raised concerns about the simultaneous absence of both principal leaders, warning that it could create uncertainty over who would exercise executive authority in the event of an emergency requiring urgent presidential decisions, noting that even where constitutional succession arrangements exist, delays or confusion around activating them could complicate crisis management.
Tinubu’s latest trip marks his third annual leave since taking office in May 2023, and comes as political activity intensifies across Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission officially opened the campaign period on August 19, allowing political parties and candidates to begin rallies and related activities, with Tinubu, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, expected to face a competitive field of opposition contenders when campaigning resumes in earnest following his return.
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