Report by Obinna Ejianya
ABUJA (9News Nigeria) African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and political activist Omoyele Sowore has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is hospitalised in France, claiming that the President’s prolonged stay outside Nigeria is connected to his health.
Sowore made the claims on Monday night while appearing as a guest on ARISE TV’s Prime Time programme, monitored by 9News Nigeria.
Speaking during the live television interview, Sowore alleged that the Presidency was not being transparent with Nigerians about Tinubu’s whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding his extended stay in France.
According to him, the President is receiving medical attention in France and may remain outside the country beyond the period earlier communicated to Nigerians by the Presidency.
Sowore did not present publicly verifiable medical evidence during the interview to substantiate his claim that Tinubu had been hospitalised. The Presidency, on its part, has maintained that the President is in good health and remains engaged with government affairs while abroad.
The activist argued that the length of Tinubu’s absence had gone beyond being merely a question about his physical whereabouts and had become an issue requiring constitutional scrutiny.
Sowore claimed that Tinubu had been away for more than three weeks, describing the prolonged absence as being akin to “absconding” from his responsibilities as President.
He further disclosed that the AAC was prepared to approach the court over the matter and seek judicial intervention should the circumstances surrounding the President’s absence raise questions about compliance with constitutional requirements.
Sowore also spoke about the possibility of impeachment, arguing that constitutional procedures should be invoked where necessary if a President is unable to discharge the functions of the office.
He maintained that his position was not based on a preference for Vice President Kashim Shettima over Tinubu, but on what he described as the need for Nigeria’s constitutional provisions to be respected.
According to Sowore, even with Tinubu physically present in the country, Nigeria continues to face serious economic, political and governance challenges.
He said that should circumstances require the Vice President to assume presidential functions, the process should follow the Constitution.
Sowore stressed, however, that his argument should not be interpreted as suggesting that he considered Shettima a better alternative to Tinubu.
The controversy surrounding Tinubu’s extended stay abroad has renewed attention on Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, which provides the framework for the temporary transfer of presidential functions.
Under Section 145(1), where the President proceeds on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of the office, he is expected to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Following such transmission, the Vice President performs the functions of the President as Acting President until another written declaration is transmitted indicating that the President has resumed his functions.
Section 145(2) addresses circumstances where the President is unable or fails to transmit the required declaration.
The provision states that where the President is unable or fails to transmit the declaration within 21 days, the National Assembly may, through a resolution passed by a simple majority in each chamber, mandate the Vice President to perform the functions of the President as Acting President until the President transmits the required declaration.
Importantly, the Constitution does not provide that a sitting President automatically ceases to be President simply because he has spent more than 21 days outside Nigeria.
The 21-day provision relates specifically to the temporary exercise of presidential functions where the President is unable or fails to transmit the required declaration to the National Assembly.
Permanent succession to the presidency is governed separately by Section 146 of the Constitution, including circumstances involving death, resignation, impeachment, permanent incapacity or other constitutionally recognised vacancy in the office.
Sowore, during Monday night’s Prime Time interview, nevertheless maintained that the circumstances surrounding Tinubu’s prolonged absence deserved greater public scrutiny and transparency from the Presidency.
His hospitalisation claim remains an allegation made during the television interview and has not been independently verified by 9News Nigeria.
The Presidency has maintained that Tinubu is “hale and hearty” and continues to discharge his responsibilities while abroad. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said on Sunday that the President was expected to return to Nigeria during the week.
Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 for London for what the Presidency announced as a three-week working vacation before subsequently travelling to Paris.
The Presidency later announced an extension of the vacation by a few days, while assuring Nigerians that the President remained engaged with government officials and affairs of state.
Sowore’s latest remarks have now added another dimension to the debate, shifting attention from the duration of Tinubu’s absence to questions surrounding his health, the constitutional provisions governing presidential functions and the level of information being made available to Nigerians.
