Senate President Godswill Akpabio has firmly dismissed speculations positioning him as Nigeria’s acting president, clarifying that the machinery of government remains fully functional under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu despite the temporary physical absence of the nation`s two topmost leaders from the federal capital.

The clarification became necessary following mounting public anxiety and political debates surrounding who is currently steering the affairs of the state. Critics and stakeholders had raised concerns after it became apparent that both President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were simultaneously out of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on separate foreign engagements.

While President Tinubu is currently in France on a three-week working vacation, Vice President Shettima is in New York, United States, representing Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). This dual absence triggered intense speculation across social media and political circles regarding a potential leadership vacuum in the executive arm of government.

Addressing THENEWSCREDIT on Tuesday in Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio swiftly debunked the rumors, reminding the public of his defined constitutional role. He maintained that his position as the head of the legislature remains unchanged and that he has not, in any capacity, assumed the role of the nation’s interim or acting commander-in-chief.

“I am the Senate President and not the acting President of Nigeria because President Tinubu is still in power,” Akpabio stated authoritatively. “He’s on a working leave, and there’s no absence in Aso Rock. Asiwaju Tinubu is still in power, and he’s still running the affairs of Nigeria.”

Defending the presidency`s ability to govern remotely, the Senate President argued that physical presence in Abuja is no longer a prerequisite for effective leadership in the modern era. He noted that technology allows for seamless governance, querying why critics were unnecessarily alarmed by the President`s temporary relocation.

“The world is a global village, you can give instructions from the internet; so why are people complaining?” Akpabio asked. He concluded by asserting his legislative authority, stating that he is the “only person who can declare a vacancy,” before reiterating that absolutely no such vacancy exists in the nation`s highest office.