Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima Officially Sworn in as President and Vice President of Nigeria

Today, we usher in a new era of leadership in Nigeria as President-elect, Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima, his Vice President-elect assume their new roles as President and Vice President of the country. The official inauguration ceremony took place on Monday, where the Oath of Office was administered by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kayode Ariwoola, symbolizing a landmark event in our democratic progression.

Bola Tinubu, a former Senator and governor of Lagos State, triumphed in the February 2023 presidential elections, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission. The seasoned politician, running under the banner of the All Progressives Congress, gathered a substantial 8,794,726 votes, significantly outpacing his closest adversary from the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, who accumulated 6,984,520 votes. The election also saw notable performances from Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP, who came third and fourth respectively.

At the age of 71, Mr. Tinubu now takes up the mantle as the fifth president of the current Fourth Republic, a democratic dispensation that commenced in 1999. His political journey has been marked by notable achievements, including his stint as governor of Lagos State, Nigeria’s economic powerhouse, from 1999 to 2007. Prior to this, Mr. Tinubu served the country as a senator in the ephemeral Third Republic. His professional background in accountancy underscores a detailed understanding of fiscal matters.

Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima, aged 57, also boasts a wealth of political experience, having previously served as governor of Borno State, situated in the northeastern region of the nation, from 2011 to 2015. Subsequently, he represented the state’s central district. Before embarking on his political journey, Mr. Shettima worked extensively in the banking sector and held several positions in the state government, notably as the commissioner for finance and economic development, local government and chieftaincy affairs, education, agriculture, and health.

The Presidential Transition Committee (PTC), a body constituted by the outgoing Buhari administration to oversee the transition, reported that the official inauguration ceremony, which marks the 7th consecutive transition of power, commenced promptly at 10 a.m. Previous leaders have been inaugurated at this venue, which has recently undergone renovations in anticipation of this monumental event.

Notably, the inauguration of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima was part of a series of activities orchestrated by the 24-member PTC in the past eight days. Highlights of these events included a celebratory dinner in honor of the incoming administration, along with the outgoing Buhari government, and the bestowal of the GCFR and GCON awards on the incoming leaders.

The ceremony was attended by an array of foreign dignitaries, heads of state, and government officials, including representatives from the US and the UK. The event attracted extensive media coverage, with several foreign and local news outlets receiving accreditation to broadcast the event live.

Despite several attempts to halt the inauguration of Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima due to multiple legal challenges and protests by certain groups, the ceremony proceeded as scheduled. Currently, Messrs Atiku and Obi, as well as the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), are contesting the declaration of Mr. Tinubu as the winner of the February election. However, the Presidential Election Petition Court has consolidated the three petitions.

As chair of the transition council, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, reassured the public that extensive measures were taken to ensure the safety and security of all attendees. There has been a noticeable increase in security around Eagle Square, the venue for the inauguration, located in the Central Business District. Police and other paramilitary outfits have cordoned off the area and limited movements around the Square to guarantee a smooth and incident-free event.