₦airaland Forum

A former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Bola Akinterinwa, says President Bola Tinubu’s absence from the United Nations General Assembly may be a strategic decision.

Akinterinwa explained that though Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented his principal at the UN summit, might not be able to operate at the level of heads of state, US President Donald Trump, being an unpredictable leader, could find unnecessary excuses to embarrass Tinubu.

“But when you look at the other aspect, why our own Bola Ahmed Tinubu not going. It may be a strategy itself. One, at the level of Donald Trump, Donald Trump is an unpredictable president,” he said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday.

“Donald Trump thinks after action, but he does not think well before action. He is a president who can thoroughly embarrass our own president, find unnecessary excuses because Nigeria appears to be towing a sort of independentist line when it comes to the conduct and management of international affairs.

“Donald Trump doesn’t like this. Donald Trump wants to be seen as the primus inter pares in international relations,” the professor said.

The former NIIA DG said it would have been ideal for Tinubu to attend the UN summit to avoid speculations about the reason behind his absence.

He, however, described the President as a more cautious leader than Trump.

“So in this case, this is the second time our president will not be attending. But what does that mean really? What is it that is in his head for not going? The ideal thing would have been to be there.”

“If he’s there, in which way are you going to say that Donald Trump is better than Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria? He’s not,” he said.

“And I can tell you that Ahmed Tinubu is as intelligent, if not more intelligent, than Donald Trump. He’s more cautious.

“He’s more strategic in his approach, but when you are absent, you give room for unnecessary speculations,” Akinterinwa added.

Orlandoo:
Man keeps avoiding the US like plague or is there something that he committed that we don't know?

Softmirror:
Lol this your job no easy o! You keep changing monikers every now and then.

Orlandoo:
Stop trolling me and derailing threads in the process. Respect yourself.

FuglyGurl:
https://www.channelstv.com/2025/09/26/unga-80-tinubus-absence-may-be-strategic-trump-can-embarrass-him-unecessarily-ex-niia-dg/

Orlandoo:
Man keeps avoiding the US like plague or is there something that he committed that we don't know?

Racoon:
Meanwhile this man has forgotten that the Tinubu redacted files of his illicit drug case is still being considered in the same US.

SarkinYarki:
Trump is not a mad man that will embarrass Tinubu just like that ..Only Tinubu knows the real reason he couldn't make the journey

mascot87:
I guess Putin's absence is also strategic and Trump will embarrass him too. C10wns

FuglyGurl:
https://www.channelstv.com/2025/09/26/unga-80-tinubus-absence-may-be-strategic-trump-can-embarrass-him-unecessarily-ex-niia-dg/

Racoon:
Meanwhile this man has forgotten that the Tinubu redacted files of his illicit drug case is still being considered in the same US.

SarkinYarki:
Trump is not a mad man that will embarrass Tinubu just like that ..Only Tinubu knows the real reason he couldn't make the journey

Orlandoo:
Man keeps avoiding the US like plague or is there something that he committed that we don't know?

zero8zero:
I challenge Gbajue to enter the UK...

Racoon:
Same mistaken identity case that was ocastrated by the Buhari govt that failed?

Are you aware he was cleared of same and has been visiting the UK ever since? See as you as displaying your crass helpless in a public forum.

Why not as Tinubu why he is afraid of setting his foot in the US including attending the UNGA in person after the first one?

Orlandoo:
Man keeps avoiding the US like plague or is there something that he committed that we don't know?

Racoon:
Meanwhile this man has forgotten that the Tinubu redacted files of his illicit drug case is still being considered in the same US.

zero8zero:
Na confusion get you so, even if Obi no get erection, na Buhari cause am



A big lie, he wasn't cleared of nada. From detention straight to deportation. Since then, he hasn't entered the UK. I dare him to enter



You have shamefully walked back on your lies, but you wailers have been saying he has never entered the US, he was afraid entering the US bla bla bla.. I added another picture where he was at the New York stock exchange at the invitation of US Chamber of Commerce. To let you know that Tinubu has gone to the US more than once. This shame too much for you 🤣