A former Nigerian diplomat, Joe Keshi, has said President Bola Tinubu’s personal attendance at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is not essential as long as Nigeria is adequately represented.
Keshi made the statement on Tuesday while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he argued that the Vice President leading Nigeria’s delegation would constitute sufficient representation.
According to him, the debate over Tinubu’s attendance at the 80th UNGA has distracted Nigerians from the important issues Nigeria should be addressing at the global gathering.
“It amazes me we’re engaged in some innocuous debate whether the president attends or whether he does not attend or whether he has lost the opportunity to sit beside Donald Trump,” Keshi said.
He argued that Nigeria’s participation should be assessed based on the quality of its representation and the issues it advances, rather than whether the President personally attends.
Keshi noted that previous Nigerian presidents had missed UNGA sessions without any major consequence, questioning what ultimately resulted from former President Muhammadu Buhari’s regular attendance.
He maintained that the presence of a Nigerian delegation is what matters, adding that if the Vice President leads the delegation, Nigerians should focus on the country’s representation rather than the President’s absence.
