Nigeria leadership concerns rise as top officials travel abroad

Nigeria is facing questions regarding its leadership structure as President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio are all simultaneously abroad. While Shettima is in the United States for the United Nations General Assembly and Tinubu is on a working vacation in Europe, former Senator Dino Melaye and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have raised concerns about the formal transmission of presidential power under the 1999 Constitution.

Separately, Senate President Akpabio has drawn attention for his spiritual pilgrimage to Italy. During his visit to the St. Padre Pio prayer ground in St. Giovanni Rotondo, Akpabio offered prayers for Nigeria's security, specifically targeting banditry and terrorism, and for the country's upcoming 2027 elections. He also shared personal accounts of his wife's recovery from a long coma, attributing her survival to divine intercession.

Meanwhile, a political dispute continues between Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused Akpabio’s office of attempting to use media platforms and bloggers to circulate damaging materials against her. This follows allegations from activist Sandra Duru, who claimed Akpabio engaged her to campaign against the Kogi Central senator. Both Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan have declined to comment on the recent audio recordings and allegations.