The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Ademola Osodi, has played down concerns over the President’s third consecutive absence from the United Nations General Assembly. The Presidency had on Sunday announced that Tinubu mandated Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent him and lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The decision has attracted criticism from some quarters, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has demanded an explanation from Tinubu over his absence from the gathering for a third straight year. Source: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/09/20/tinubus-unga-absence-wont-change-nigerias-role-as-giant-of-africa-aide/