African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential campaign spokesperson Kenneth Okonkwo has alleged that President Bola Tinubu stayed away from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York because he feared possible arrest in the United States.
Okonkwo made the claim while speaking on Arise News, where he criticised Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, over comments concerning the President’s absence from the global gathering.
Tinubu is not attending this year’s UNGA, with Vice President Kashim Shettima representing Nigeria. Reports say this is the third consecutive year Tinubu has delegated representation after attending the 2023 session.
Okonkwo questioned why Tinubu had not personally attended the General Assembly in recent years, suggesting that his absence could be linked to concerns about U.S. authorities.
He referred to what he called the “Venezuela option,” arguing that Tinubu may be concerned about facing legal action if he travelled to New York.
The ADC campaign spokesperson also recalled earlier comments by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, who had said Tinubu and his family could travel freely in the United States during UNGA.
Ibrahim said in September that there was no notification from the U.S. government restricting Tinubu’s movement and cited protections under the 1947 UN headquarters agreement.
Read Also: Viral Video: Lagos Police Arrest Father Over Alleged Flogging of Toddler
Okonkwo nevertheless linked Tinubu’s absence to renewed attention surrounding historical U.S. records concerning the Nigerian president.
He referred to a long-standing case involving the forfeiture of $460,000 in the United States in the 1990s. Court records have documented the forfeiture, while the circumstances surrounding the case have remained the subject of political debate.
In recent months, a U.S. Freedom of Information Act case has also sought records relating to investigations involving Tinubu. Tinubu has challenged efforts to release some of the records.
Okonkwo argued that these developments created a connection between the President’s absence from the UNGA and the U.S. legal records.
However, his claim that Tinubu is avoiding the UNGA because he fears arrest remains an allegation and has not been established as the reason for the President’s absence.
Tinubu’s decision not to attend the 81st UNGA has generated political debate in Nigeria, with opposition figures demanding explanations while the Presidency and Nigerian officials have rejected suggestions that the President faces restrictions preventing him from travelling to the United States.
