Former Senate President Pius Anyim has stated that President Bola Tinubu’s absence from the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York shouldn’t be an issue.

The chieftain of the All Progressives Congress said the President’s decision to delegate the assignment to Vice President Kashim Shettima should not be a source of concern.

Anyim, who also served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated this on Monday while featuring on ARISE NEWS’ Prime Time.

Tinubu, who was initially scheduled to return to Nigeria after a short working vacation, extended his stay abroad, with the Presidency saying he would use the period for a private visit and other engagements before returning to the country.

Meanwhile, Shettima is representing Nigeria at the 80th session of the UNGA in the United States.

Anyim said there was nothing unusual about the President’s absence, arguing that the Vice President had the constitutional capacity to represent the country at the gathering.

“I really don’t understand why his absence should be an issue. I think Nigerians know very well that the President is on short leave, a short vacation.

“He simply assigned his Vice President to undertake the assignment. I don’t know why we are making so much out of this. There is nothing that compares to the President being at UNGA. The Vice President can represent the country, even the Foreign Minister,” he said.

Explaining the nature of the UNGA, the former Senate president said the annual event comprised the General Assembly and several bilateral and multilateral engagements held on the sidelines.

He said the President’s absence would only become significant if there were scheduled engagements that required his personal attendance.

“The structure of UNGA involves the General Assembly and side meetings. Side meetings could be bilateral or multilateral. What you present in that General Assembly statement is simply reading a statement from your country. This is something that the Vice President can do,” he said.

Anyim also dismissed concerns that Tinubu’s absence could prevent him from meeting United States President Donald Trump, saying such high-level engagements were normally scheduled in advance.

“It’s not about meeting the President by chance. The fact that you sit together with the President doesn’t mean anything. The President of America normally would have a schedule set ahead of time,” he said.

He added that Tinubu was not the only world leader who had chosen not to attend the annual gathering in person.

“It doesn’t matter. After all, there are many heads of state who don’t go,” Anyim said.

Source: punchng.com

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Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris has joined Nigeria’s delegation at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, held in New York, United States.

Idris is participating in Nigeria’s engagements alongside Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is representing President Bola Tinubu at the global gathering.

The governor’s participation was disclosed in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, on Tuesday.

The 81st UN General Assembly, which opened on September 8, 2026, is being held under the theme, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.”

According to the statement, the high-level gathering brings together world leaders and representatives of member states to deliberate on global challenges, including sustainable development, climate action, peace and security, human rights, technological transformation and multilateral cooperation.

The statement quoted the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, as outlining Nigeria’s meetings, engagements and commitments during the General Assembly at a briefing attended by members of the Nigerian delegation.

It said Shettima was expected to present Nigeria’s national statement during the General Debate on Thursday, September 24.

The statement said Idris’ participation would provide an opportunity for Kebbi to engage with global leaders, development partners, investors and international organisations, with a focus on attracting investment and strengthening partnerships for the state’s development.

“Governor Nasir Idris’s participation provides an opportunity for Kebbi State to engage with global leaders, development partners, investors and international organisations, with particular attention to attracting investment and strengthening partnerships that can contribute to the state’s development,” the statement partly read.

The governor is also expected to participate in discussions on peace, security, sustainable development and investment, including activities around the proposed launch of the Northwest Peace, Security and Development Framework, 2026–2030.

Other engagements listed in the statement include the SDG Roundtable Discussion 2026, Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting, African-Caribbean High-Level Interactive Dialogue and the Nigeria Investment Forum.

The statement said the participation of state governors and other Nigerian officials was part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s engagement with international partners and promote investment, development cooperation and strategic partnerships.

Other governors at the briefing included AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers and Babagana Zulum of Borno states.

Also present were the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Doris Uzoka-Anite; and Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim.

Source: punchng.com

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The White House has launched a 24/7 streaming channel dubbed “Trump TV”, offering viewers access to past moments, announcements and other content from President Donald Trump’s administration.

The White House announced the launch on its official X account on Monday, saying the stream would be updated in real time.

“IT’S LIVE. Trump TV is Streaming Now. 24/7, updated in real time, with top past moments, announcements, and the latest and greatest from the administration all in one place.

“Not every big moment has made it on your tv, now it can,” the White House said.

The stream, officially titled “TRUMP TV: The Essentials Station,” is available through the White House website and its YouTube channel.

The White House describes it as a platform for the administration’s “biggest moments”, including videos, major remarks and highlights.

The launch came amid an escalating dispute between the Trump administration and several major US news organisations over access to the White House.

Trump recently barred CNN, Politico and MS NOW from White House grounds, prompting the three organisations to sue the administration over the decision.

Major television networks — ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC — subsequently suspended their shared White House pool coverage in solidarity with the affected outlets.

The White House has defended its approach to media access, while Trump has criticised what he describes as unfair or “fake news” coverage of his administration.

The first Trump TV broadcast featured previously recorded footage, including Trump’s July 3 address at Mount Rushmore, rather than a live presidential event.

The new channel gives the White House a direct platform for distributing video of Trump and his administration without relying solely on television networks for coverage.