ABUJA, Nigeria — Kenneth Okonkwo, a Nollywood actor and lawyer, has challenged the presidency’s explanation for President Bola Tinubu’s absence from UNGA.
Okonkwo, a spokesman for Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign, made the remarks on Arise News’s Prime Time on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. Vice-President Kashim Shettima is representing Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The presidency has said Tinubu is on an extended working vacation and continues to direct government affairs from abroad.
In remarks reported by Vanguard, Okonkwo alleged that Tinubu was avoiding the United States because he feared arrest by President Donald Trump.
“Tinubu is hiding. He is running away from being arrested by Trump,” Okonkwo alleged.
His argument referred to past drug-related allegations, a 1993 civil forfeiture involving about $460,000, and a dispute over access to US government records concerning Tinubu.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga has said the records proceedings concern the United States Freedom of Information Act.
In a statement reported by Punch, Onanuga said the case was a civil disclosure dispute and had produced no finding of criminal wrongdoing against Tinubu.
Nigeria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim, has also said the mission in New York received no US government communication restricting Tinubu’s movement.
Okonkwo questioned earlier assurances attributed to Ibrahim that Tinubu would attend the assembly. Tinubu attended the gathering in 2023.
The State House said Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30 and subsequently held meetings in Paris, including with French President Emmanuel Macron.
It said he delegated Shettima to attend the assembly.
