Former presidential spokesman Laolu Akande has stated that it is not ideal for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima to leave the country for foreign trips at the same time.
Speaking on Channels TV on October 14, Akande emphasized the importance of having one leader present to manage governance effectively. “It is important for one of them to be on the ground because the work of governance requires a lot of hand-holding,” he noted, expressing concerns about the ongoing trust issues in the relationship between the President and Vice President.
President Tinubu departed Nigeria on October 2, 2024, for a two-week work leave in the United Kingdom, while Vice President Shettima left for Sweden on October 16 for a two-day visit to engage in bilateral discussions with the Scandinavian nation.
In response to the leaders' absences, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga stated that both leaders remain "fully engaged with the nation’s affairs" despite being abroad, assuring that there is no governance vacuum.
Akande reflected on his experience during his eight years in office, recalling that such a scenario occurred only once during the burial of the Queen of England, which coincided with the United Nations General Assembly. He highlighted how both leaders made efforts to ensure one of them was always present in the country, indicating the significance of continuity in governance.