{
  "id": 8783258,
  "title": "Reactions trail Tinubu’s UNGA absence",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/reactions-trail-tinubus-unga-absence",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-20T22:06:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/reactions-trail-tinubus-unga-absence/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Reactions to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's decision to have his Vice President, Kashim Shettima, represent him at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York have been mixed. Daily Trust reported that Tinubu would not be physically present at the event, making it the third consecutive UNGA he missed in person since taking office in 2023. Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim, had initially confirmed that Tinubu would attend, but Tinubu later directed Shettima to lead the delegation.\n\nStanley Nkwocha, spokesperson for the Vice President, announced that Tinubu had appointed Shettima to represent him at the session, which will take place from September 22 to 28, 2026. The high-level delegation will include governors Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, as well as ministers and other senior government officials. During the General Debate, Shettima will deliver Nigeria's national statement, outlining the country's position and priorities on major global issues.\n\nCriticism has been directed towards Tinubu's absence, with some Nigerians questioning whether his decision is linked to recent concerns over his alleged drug case. Leading the criticism is Atiku Abubakar, a presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), who demanded an explanation from Tinubu over his repeated absences from the UNGA. Abubakar questioned whether Tinubu's documented history with U.S. law-enforcement agencies has become a burden on Nigeria's foreign relations.\n\nNetizens on social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) have also expressed their opinions on the matter. Some users defended Tinubu, while others questioned the wisdom of his absence from such a significant global event.",
  "summary": "Reactions have continued to trail the decision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to delegate his Vice, Kashim Shettima, to represent him at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States. Daily Trust had reported how Tinubu confirmed that he would not be physically present at the event, making […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "UNGA 81: US didn’t arrest Gaddafi, Castro, Ayatollah Khomeini – Tinubu’s aide",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/unga-81-us-didnt-arrest-gaddafi-castro-ayatollah-khomeini-tinubus-aide",
        "published": "2026-09-20T21:03:05.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "UNGA: Atiku challenges Tinubu as Shettima leads delegation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/unga-atiku-challenges-tinubu-as-shettima-leads-delegation",
        "published": "2026-09-20T23:18:41.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Trust",
        "title": "Tinubu misses UNGA for third time",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/tinubu-misses-unga-for-third-time",
        "published": "2026-09-21T02:16:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Premium Times",
        "title": "Presidency explains Tinubu’s absence at UNGA",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/presidency-explains-tinubus-absence-at-unga",
        "published": "2026-09-21T06:26:44.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}