Politics
Biden’s Unveils Delegation For Tinubu’s Inauguration
The President of the United States, Joe Biden, has announced his delegation to attend the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Bola Tinubu.
Recall that BIZTELLERS had reported that approximately 65 world leaders, including Heads of State, have been invited to witness the inauguration of Tinubu.
The former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is scheduled to be sworn in as Nigeria’s 16th President on May 29th, at Eagle Square in Abuja.
The event is expected to be attended by former presidents, diplomats, heads of international organizations, prominent Nigerians, as well as representatives from foreign governments and agencies.
The inauguration proceedings are set to commence on Thursday, starting with the investiture of Bola Tinubu as the recipient of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic.
Additionally, the Vice-President-elect, Kashim Shettima, will be honored with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger.
The event is expected to be attended by representatives from Nigeria’s traditional allies, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, China, Germany, Finland, Jamaica, Japan, Israel, Turkey, and several others.
Ahead of the inauguration, President Biden released a statement on the White House website on Monday night, announcing a nine-member delegation that will be present at the event.
The Presidential Delegation will be headed by Marcia L. Fudge, the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Other members of the delegation include David Greene, who serves as the Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a Representative from California, representing the Democratic Party.
In addition, the Presidential Delegation also includes Marisa Lago, who holds the position of Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade at the U.S. Department of Commerce. General Michael E. Langley, the Commander of U.S. Africa Command, will also be part of the delegation.
Furthermore, Enoh T. Ebong, the Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, will be among the delegation members attending the inauguration.
The Honorable Mary Catherine Phee, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
The Honorable Judd Devermont, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs, National Security Council.
The Honorable Monde Muyangwa, Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development.
Events lined up for the inauguration include a lecture titled, ‘Deepening Democracy for Integration and Development’ that would be delivered by former president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, on May 27.
Aside from the inauguration itself, several other activities are scheduled to take place as part of the inauguration program.
These include a Regimental Dinner in honor of the Commander-in-Chief at the Armed Forces Officers Mess, which is planned for Tuesday, May 23. On May 24, there will be a Valedictory Federal Executive Council Meeting held at the Council Chambers within the Presidential Villa.
A Public Lecture and Juma’at prayer are scheduled to take place at the National Mosque on May 26. On May 27, there will be a Children’s Day Parade and Party. Finally, an Inter-denominational Church Service is planned at the National Christian Centre on May 28.
These events are expected to complement the inauguration ceremony itself.
Furthermore, there will be an Inauguration Dinner/Gala Night held at the State House Conference Centre on May 28.
The actual inauguration and swearing-in of the president-elect and vice president-elect are scheduled for May 29, which will be accompanied by an inauguration parade at the Eagle Square.
Following the inauguration ceremony, a post-inauguration luncheon will be held exclusively for the President, his fellow Presidents, Heads of Government, and distinguished guests at the State House Banquet Hall.
A Political Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Ibrahim Kabiru Masari, has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election, describing it as a joke.
Masari made the remark while addressing members of the Jigawa State Academics Forum.
SEE MORE: ‘A Nation Cannot Escape the Bill’ — Atiku Questions Tinubu’s Third UNGA Absence
According to him, Atiku’s political ambition would not be achieved through what he described as desperation, insisting that the former vice president was aware of the situation.
“Even Atiku himself knows he is just joking and kidding,” Masari said.
The presidential aide also described the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the dominant political party in the country and framed the 2027 election as a choice between continuing the Tinubu administration’s programmes and returning to the opposition.
Masari highlighted infrastructure development, economic diversification, security and poverty reduction as areas the Tinubu administration was prioritising.
He also commended the Jigawa State Academics Forum for endorsing President Tinubu and Governor Umar Namadi for another term.
On education, Masari said the Federal Government was giving the sector priority, adding that the university academic calendar had stabilised and students were benefiting from federal student loans.
His comments come as political parties and opposition figures intensify preparations for the 2027 general election.
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be questioned if there were any irregularities in the conduct of the 2023 presidential election.
Sule made the remarks during an appearance on Mic On Podcast, hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, an Arise TV anchor, while responding to questions about allegations surrounding the 2023 presidential election and INEC’s handling of the process.
The governor noted that INEC was the body that conducted and declared the election, saying: “INEC declared that I won the election in 2023. INEC that determined the election.”
SEE ALSO: 2027: Tinubu Has Done Enough Good To Win Re-Election — Gov Sule
Speaking about claims that both Labour Party’s Peter Obi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar believed they won the 2023 presidential election, Sule questioned how the APC could have manipulated the election against both candidates.
He said: “So who won the election between Peter Obi and Atiku? Take President Asiwaju out. So who now rigged each other between the PDP and then the Labour Party? Because you are saying that Peter Obi said he won, Atiku said he won—”
On concerns over glitches on INEC’s Result Viewing (IReV) portal during the presidential election and allegations that “something fishy” may have happened, Sule said INEC should provide answers if there were any irregularities.
He stated: “Well, if something fishy went down, it is INEC herself that would be asked that question.”
Sule also referred to subsequent elections conducted under the current INEC leadership, including the Osun and Anambra governorship elections.
According to him, APC lost the Osun election without similar complaints, while the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won in Anambra.
He said: “You know, and so far, all the elections… he held the election in Osun, and they didn’t say there was anything wrong with that one, because APC lost. We had an election in Anambra, there was no problem about that one, because APGA won.”
“You know, so it is anywhere APC won now that there is a problem. It doesn’t… life doesn’t work that way.” the governor added.
Human rights lawyer and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take preventive measures to protect former Anambra State governor and 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi.
Ejiofor raised concerns over Obi’s safety ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that any harm to the presidential candidate could have serious consequences for Nigeria’s political and democratic environment.
READ MORE: 2027: Peter Obi ‘Unfit’ To Govern Nigeria — Onanuga Declares
In a statement issued in Abuja, Ejiofor said Obi’s recent expression of concern about his personal safety should not be dismissed as ordinary political rhetoric.
He said when a presidential candidate publicly expresses uncertainty about his safety ahead of an election, the appropriate response should be “vigilance, sober inquiry and preventive action.”
“Nothing must happen to Obi,” Ejiofor said, calling on Tinubu to act now to protect the former Anambra governor and the democratic space.
The lawyer also cited recent developments surrounding the 2027 political season, including Obi’s complaints about difficulties faced by opposition politicians campaigning in some states and the controversy surrounding the obstruction of his convoy during a visit to Benue State.
According to Ejiofor, the circumstances require greater attention from government institutions, security agencies, political parties and other stakeholders.
He warned that if anything happened to Obi, the consequences could extend beyond the individual and potentially affect Nigeria’s already delicate electoral environment.
“If anything should happen to Peter Obi—God forbid!—the consequences would extend far beyond the individual concerned,” he said, describing the possible consequences as “disastrous and devastating.”
Ejiofor urged the Federal Government, security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties and state authorities to ensure that presidential candidates can campaign peacefully and that voters can freely hear competing political views.
He also called for political disagreements to be settled through the ballot and the law rather than intimidation, coercion or violence.
“Prevention is wiser than mourning,” Ejiofor said, stressing that Nigeria should not wait for a tragedy before taking steps to address concerns surrounding the 2027 political environment.
He further appealed for an electoral atmosphere where every legitimate contestant can campaign, political parties can organise peacefully and citizens can freely listen to and support candidates of their choice.
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