Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign, has accused President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly of failing to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities over the President’s absence from Nigeria.
Okonkwo, speaking on Arise TV, cited Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for the Vice President to perform presidential functions as Acting President when the President proceeds on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office.
The provision states that the President is to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives. If the President fails to transmit the declaration within 21 days, Section 145(2) provides that the National Assembly shall, by a simple majority in each chamber, mandate the Vice President to perform the functions of the President as Acting President.
Tinubu has been on a working vacation in Europe since August 30, with the Presidency announcing on Monday that his stay had been extended by a few days. He is expected to return to Nigeria at the weekend after spending time in London and Paris, where he held official engagements.
Okonkwo argued that the 21-day provision should not be interpreted as allowing the country to wait beyond that period before the constitutional procedure is activated.
“In Section 145(1), there is no nexus between the President and 21 days. That subsection talked about the duty of the President,” he said.
He argued that the constitutional provision places an obligation on the President to transmit the required declaration and, where that does not happen within 21 days, on the National Assembly to mandate the Vice President to act.
“What we are saying is that the President, who is the leader of the executive, has failed. The National Assembly, who is the leader of the legislature—in other words, the people that make the law—they have failed,” Okonkwo said.
He said the African Democratic Congress would take the issue to Nigerians and urged voters to remove the President and the All Progressives Congress-led government in the 2027 elections.
“What we’re going to do is to tell Nigerians that they have a failed President and failed National Assembly and vote them out in 2027,” he said.
Okonkwo Defends Atiku Coalition
On opposition cooperation, Okonkwo said the coalition backing Atiku Abubakar had already been established and that politicians who had left should return rather than seek to renegotiate the arrangement.
“Every concession has been made. What I’m saying is coalition has happened. Coalition has chosen its presidential candidate and vice. So the only thing anybody can do now is, if you left the coalition without informing others, come back to the fold. It is your family. Come back and support Atiku,” he said.
He rejected Professor Pat Utomi’s proposal for opposition parties and presidential candidates to jointly monitor elections and protect votes, arguing that competing parties could not simultaneously defend one another’s interests.
“First of all, the duty of safeguarding votes is for all Nigerians,” Okonkwo said.
He argued that parties remained competitors during elections and that protecting democracy and votes should be the responsibility of citizens rather than a joint arrangement among rival political parties.
Okonkwo Explains Atiku Fuel Proposal
On Atiku’s position on fuel subsidy, Okonkwo said the former Vice President would support domestic refineries by supplying them with crude oil at a discounted price.
He argued that greater domestic refining would reduce the cost of petrol and make fuel more affordable.
“His Excellency Atiku Abubakar said subsidy removal should be removed with consultation with NLC and other bodies. Did Tinubu do that? With four words, Tinubu destroyed the economy,” he said.
Okonkwo said Nigeria’s increased domestic refining capacity meant the country could reduce its dependence on imported petroleum products.
“What Atiku will do is that being an economist as in the head of the economic team and has seen it all, Atiku is going to supply the crude to all the local refineries at a very discounted price. When he does, fuel will initially come down,” he said.
Okonkwo Defends Atiku Over Mambilla Controversy
Addressing the controversy surrounding the Mambilla power project and a $500,000 payment to Atiku’s former wife, Okonkwo defended his principal and cited a report by the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
He disputed claims that the payment established wrongdoing by Atiku, saying the US investigation did not find evidence of culpability.
“This is the evidence. This was what they were quoting: hearsay. This is a book I’m sure they have never seen in their lives. This is American Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations,” he said.
Okonkwo also referred to a $1.7 million payment Atiku made to his former wife in 2002 and argued that the findings cited did not establish criminality.
He described the allegations as attempts to damage Atiku’s political career and expressed confidence that his principal would become President and Commander-in-Chief in 2027.
“All these things are manipulations to ruin Atiku Abubakar’s political career. Come 2027, Atiku will emerge as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” he said.
Okonkwo Claims Growing Support For Atiku
On the opposition’s prospects in the 2027 election, Okonkwo attributed potential gains for Atiku to dissatisfaction with the Tinubu administration.
“The first pathway to victory is the collapse of the Nigerian system under President Tinubu. Nobody will vote for 1,500 Naira per liter of fuel,” he said.
Okonkwo claimed that support for Atiku was growing in the North and that opposition support was also increasing in the South.
“Atiku is the main contender. The North, for instance, has collapsed under Tinubu. So if you go to North and say Tinubu, they say Atiku. Joining us from the South, they are awakening up. They are awakening up because Amaechi is there, the best candidate from South-South,” he said.
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