The Federal Government has urged opposition politicians to exercise caution when discussing Nigeria’s affairs before the international community, warning against statements it said could damage the country’s reputation.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the call while responding to commentary surrounding President Bola Tinubu’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Idris said Vice President Kashim Shettima had been mandated to lead Nigeria’s delegation, deliver the country’s national statement and participate in high-level meetings and bilateral engagements with world leaders, international organisations and development partners.
The minister said Shettima was acting with the full mandate of the President and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He added that the Vice President’s engagements would focus on Nigeria’s priorities, including peace and security, economic development, climate action, global financial reforms, sustainable development and international cooperation.
Idris said Tinubu was currently on annual leave and that his decision to delegate Shettima to lead the Nigerian delegation was neither unusual nor a reduction in the country’s diplomatic standing.
The minister said the government had noted comments by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a United States-based lobbying organisation questioning Tinubu’s non-attendance and attributing what he described as false motives to the decision.
He acknowledged that opposition and public debate were legitimate in a democracy but urged political actors to distinguish speculation from established facts. Idris also stressed the importance of Nigeria’s longstanding relationship with the United States, covering trade, investment, security cooperation, energy, democratic institutions and regional stability.
