UNGA: Tinubu sitting side by side with Trump wouldn’t make any difference – Pius Anyim

Former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, has noted that the arrangement for President Bola Tinubu to sit side by side with US President Donald Trump at the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, would not have made any difference.

He argued that no meaningful discussion would have emerged from such a seating arrangement, since the US leader would have had his schedule for the event set a year ahead.

Anyim said President Tinubu’s absence from the event should not be an issue, adding that Nigerians are aware that their leader is currently on leave.

He also noted that Vice President Kashim Shettima is in charge in the absence of the President and has been assigned to represent Nigeria at the UNGA.

Anyim said he does not understand why there is so much noise about the President’s absence from the UNGA, adding that there is nothing that compels the President to attend the General Assembly.

Speaking on Arise News, the former Senate President said, “I don’t understand why his absence should be an issue, but I think Nigerians are aware; they very well know that the President is on a short vacation.

“And his vice is in charge while he is away, and he simply assigns his vice to undertake the assignment. I don’t know why we are making so much out of this. Well, there is nothing that compels the President to be at UNGA. The Vice President can represent the country, even the Foreign Minister.”

Asked what kind of message the President’s decision could be sending to the rest of Africa, and indeed the world, having missed the UN General Assembly for the third time in his nearly four years in office, Anyim added, “The structure of UNGA is the General Assembly and side meetings.

“Side meetings could be bilateral; side meetings could be a little multilateral and all that. And what is it in that General Assembly statement? It is simply to read the statement from your country. Is this something that the Vice President cannot do?

“If the President did not schedule side meetings, and it’s only to appear in the General Assembly to present a statement, I don’t know what he is losing. So, except if there are side meetings that were scheduled and he is not able to attend those side meetings.”

On the plan that President Tinubu was going to be sitting next to US President Donald Trump, Anyim said, “We don’t take any president by chance. The fact that you sit together with President doesn’t make any difference.

“The President of America normally would have his schedules a year ahead. So, I don’t see the reason for all the whole fuss about the presence at UNGA and not being present at UNGA.”