Adolphus Wabara

Former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, has lambasted President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for embarking on simultaneous foreign trips, calling it a “dereliction of duty” and “executive rascality”.

Wabara expressed his disapproval on Sunday following reports that Tinubu had travelled to France for a two-week working visit, while Shettima headed to Dakar, Senegal, to represent Nigeria at the country’s 65th Independence Day celebration on April 4.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees Chairman said Nigeria was effectively left “headless”, stressing that it was improper for both the President and Vice President to leave the country at the same time. He emphasised that in situations where the president must travel, power should be formally handed over to the vice president to act in his stead.

Wabara questioned why the Foreign Affairs Minister wasn’t delegated to represent Nigeria in Senegal, rather than Shettima abandoning his crucial role at home. He described the dual absence as “a serious misplacement of priority”, especially given the country’s ongoing challenges, including insecurity in the North, political unrest in Rivers and Bayelsa states, and rising tensions in Edo State.

He accused both leaders of disrespecting the offices they hold and the people they serve, noting that “the country is burning, and the top two leaders are both away.” Wabara urged the National Assembly to carry out its constitutional duty and serve as a check on the executive arm to curb what he termed “executive rascality”.

He further warned that Nigeria’s democracy was at risk of global ridicule unless the president and his vice adhered to governance best practices.