President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Oshodi, has dismissed speculation that concerns over possible arrest in the United States influenced the President’s decision not to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The Presidency confirmed on Sunday that Tinubu would not be physically present at the UNGA, with Vice President Kashim Shettima mandated to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the gathering. (Channels Television)
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Oshodi described suggestions that the President could be arrested in the United States as politically motivated.
He argued that the United States would not arrest a sitting head of state and cited former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, former Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in making his point.
“There is absolutely no impediment. You know, for absolutely no reason, it is pure politics,” Oshodi said.
He added that Tinubu had previously travelled to the United States without any such incident, saying he had accompanied the President on some of those visits.
“So this is pure nonsense, and it’s politics,” the presidential aide said.
Oshodi’s comments came amid renewed public discussion over Tinubu’s absence from the annual gathering of world leaders. The President also did not personally attend the 2024 and 2025 UN General Assembly sessions, with Vice President Shettima representing Nigeria on those occasions. (Channels Television)
The Presidency has not publicly attributed Tinubu’s decision not to attend the 2026 UNGA to any threat of arrest.
Earlier, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, had said Tinubu and members of his family would have unimpeded transit during UNGA under the 1947 UN-US Headquarters Agreement. (guardian.ng)
With Tinubu absent, Shettima is expected to lead Nigeria’s delegation during the high-level General Debate of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. (Punch Newspapers)
