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Boss Mustapha Reveals Activities For Tinubu’s May 29 Swearing-In Ceremony
Boss Mustapha, Chairman of the Presidential Transition Council, has unveiled the comprehensive lineup of activities for the swearing-in ceremony of Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s President on May 29.
The inauguration proceedings are scheduled to commence on Thursday, starting with the official conferment of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic to Bola Tinubu, and the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger to the Vice-President-elect, Kashim Shettima.
A director from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that numerous African leaders have expressed their intention to attend the inauguration ceremony, which is set to be held at Eagle Square in Abuja.
According to an anonymous director from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, invitations have been extended to all 54 African countries for the inauguration.
The director further stated that they anticipate the presence of at least 65 world leaders from Africa, Europe, and America at the event. However, the director requested anonymity as they are not authorized to speak on the matter.
He said “We have 54 countries in Africa and most of them have been invited to the inauguration; so, we don’t expect less than 65 world leaders from Africa, Europe and America at the event,’’
The upcoming high-profile 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 other countries.
Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, announced during a press briefing in Abuja that numerous world leaders will participate in the event as activities for the transition of power to the incoming administration have commenced.
As the inauguration of former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu approaches, preparations for the event are intensifying.
Meanwhile, the legal battle challenging Tinubu’s election victory, initiated by the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party’s candidate Peter Obi, is ongoing at the Presidential Election Petitions Court.
On Thursday, the court adjourned further proceedings in Atiku’s petition until Friday (today) to continue pre-hearing sessions and address pending applications submitted by the respondents.
The panel led by Justice Haruna Tsammani has stated that the court will determine the number of witnesses allowed for each party, allocate time for their presentations, and set time limits for cross-examination.
The panel encouraged the parties involved to collaborate and reach an agreement on the additional procedures to be followed.
In a similar vein, the court adjourned Peter Obi’s petition until today due to the parties’ inability to reconcile the relevant documents related to their claims.
Mustapha went on to outline the activities for the event, stating that transition documents would be officially handed over to Tinubu and Shettima on the same day.
In addition, Mustapha announced that the former president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, has been designated to deliver the inauguration lecture.
The lecture, titled “Deepening Democracy for Integration and Development,” is scheduled to take place on May 27.
The series of activities surrounding the inauguration also includes a Regimental Dinner honoring the Commander-in-Chief at the Armed Forces Officers Mess on May 23, a Valedictory Federal Executive Council Meeting at the Council Chambers in the Presidential Villa on May 24, a Public Lecture and Juma’at prayer at the National Mosque on May 26, a Children’s Day Parade and Party on May 27, and an Inter-denominational Church Service at the National Christian Centre on May 28.
Furthermore, an Inauguration Dinner/Gala Night is scheduled to be held at the State House Conference Centre on May 28. The main event, the inauguration and swearing-in of the President-elect and Vice President-elect, will occur on May 29.
The occasion will be accompanied by an inauguration parade taking place at the Eagle Square.
Following the inauguration ceremony, a post-inauguration luncheon exclusively for the President, fellow Presidents, Heads of Government, and distinguished guests will be held at the State House Banquet Hall.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) disclosed that numerous world leaders have expressed their interest in attending the event.
He said “So far, invitations have been sent to Presidents and Heads of Government as well as Heads of international organisations. We are also glad to report that many of these invitees have confirmed attendance in person.
But when asked about the identities of the leaders, the SGF said, “Diplomatic privilege does not allow us to announce the number of people coming. If you know what is happening globally, we cannot tell you who is coming. We leave that to their embassies to make it public.”
Mustapha insisted that the handover would hold despite the court cases seeking the cancellation of the ceremony.
The transition committee chairman noted, “The inauguration would not be stopped pending the determination of the cases in court. This is not the first time we have had elections. In my political life, I have seen different transitions.
‘’From Shagari’s period to Buhari, the inauguration went on despite court cases. In 2003, Buhari spent months at the tribunal up till the Supreme Court. He repeated the process three times. The only election that was not litigated was in 2015 when Jonathan conceded defeat. With or without litigation, the handover will be held on May 29. The Constitution and Electoral Act are clear on this.”
‘’I am delighted to inform you that May 29, 2023, will mark the seventh consecutive democratic transition of power in Nigeria and on that day, we shall all be ushering in the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
According to him, the transition council interfaced and learnt from the transition processes practised in the United States of America and Kenya, expressing hope that Nigeria would have legislation on presidential transition soon.
Mustapha said, “In furtherance of discharging its functions, the PTC also interfaced with leading democratic nations including the United States of America and the Republic of Kenya, as part of its learning efforts to pick up useful lessons in line with international best practices.
“It is important to also state that these countries have specific legislations on Presidential Transition, some of which date back to 1963. It is our expectation that specific legislation on presidential transition in Nigeria would be passed soon.”
Boss Mustapha reassured that comprehensive measures have been implemented to ensure the security and safety of all individuals during the inauguration period.
The Chairman of the Security, Facilities, and Intelligence Committee, and National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, further stated that a combination of covert and overt operations has been arranged to secure the event venues and hotels designated for guest accommodations.
Monguno emphasized that they do not anticipate any attacks during the events, but issued a warning to individuals without valid reasons to stay away from the event venues.
He said, “Our primary function is to provide both overt and covert security cover for all the venues where the stated activities would be held, including the hotels where guests would be staying. The span of our work is before, during, and after the inauguration.
‘’My advice is that if you have no business at the venue, you need not be there. The most important message I would like to pass across to you is that we do not envisage anything negative. Everybody should be calm, especially those coming from other countries.” he added.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has invited global investors to participate in the bid for the 2026 Licensing Round, which has 40 oil and gas blocks on offer.
The Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, informed investors at the 2026 ADIPEC Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi on Monday, November 2, 2026 that Nigeria offers a stable climate amid global energy tensions.
She urged investors to look to Nigeria and take advantage of the opportunities and revealed that the licensing round portal will officially open on November 20, 2026.
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The NUPRC boss said this during a roundtable discussion titled, ‘Energy Sovereignty in an Interconnected World: Aligning National Priorities, Markets and Global Security’.
She said, “We are expecting investors to turn to Nigeria. We are going into another licensing round, and we will launch our bid portal on November 20. We expect to see interested investors because the environment is a lot more competitive.
“We have set a very attractive fiscal framework for investors. The overall environment is much more secure. We have been able to manage costs with a lot of incentives for investors, and we expect to see investors take up the offer when we open the portal.”
The NUPRC boss noted that since the passing of the Petroleum Industry Act in 2021, as well as the executive orders signed by President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria has seen an improved investment climate.
Eyesan said that between 2021 and 2026, the NUPRC held at least four successful licensing rounds, which brought more investment into the country.
This marks a departure from the pre-PIA era, when licensing rounds were less frequent.
The CCE said Nigeria has huge energy potential, as it sits on 215 TCF of gas, but daily production is barely 7 bcf.
This presents an opportunity to investors, especially as key gas infrastructure, such as pipelines, is being built, she said. The stars are already aligned. For gas infrastructure, we just completed very major infrastructure projects that will unlock gas supply in the country and the sub-region.”
We have two major projects on the drawing board to move gas through the Nigeria-Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline and the Trans-Sahara Gas Pipeline.
Again, this gas will go to Europe and will also meet regional demand. So, Nigeria is positioned to meet not just domestic supply,” the CCE stated.
Eyesan maintained that as many countries discover petroleum resources, the race for investment has become more competitive.
She said Nigeria was already ahead of the game, as it had made certain modifications to attract the right capital.
“We understand that investors will prize execution risk, cost, delays and also uncertainty, and so what we have done in Nigeria is to ensure that we guard against these risks and then attract the investment required to enable us to unlock the huge resources we sit on,” the NUPRC boss said.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described his emergence as Nigeria’s President as a special favour from Almighty Allah, saying his position as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is a privilege that must be matched with dedicated service to the country.
Tinubu made the remarks while reflecting on his spiritual journey to Saudi Arabia for the lesser Hajj (Umrah), during which he was granted access to pray inside the Holy Ka’abah in Makkah.
The President expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for granting him and members of his Nigerian delegation the rare privilege.
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Speaking after the spiritual exercise, Tinubu said his emergence as Nigeria’s leader was an extraordinary blessing, considering the millions of people in the country.
“I have faith in that, and I believe extremely well that He has done me and my country a great favour. Out of many millions of people, to be the President and Commander-in-Chief is a favour that only Almighty God can do to a human being,” he said.
The President also disclosed that he used the opportunity to pray for wisdom and resilience to continue serving Nigerians, expressing confidence that his prayers had been answered.
“Well, I asked for wisdom and resilience to continue to serve the people. I know that prayer has been granted,” Tinubu said.
Recalling his previous Umrah pilgrimage before the 2023 presidential election, he said he had asked Allah to bless the journey and promised to return to express gratitude.
Tinubu also reflected on the message in Surah Aal-Imran, Verse 26 of the Holy Qur’an, which establishes Allah as the ultimate owner of sovereignty and authority, with the power to give and take leadership.
He said the message reinforces the need for those entrusted with positions of authority to exercise power responsibly, with humility and in the interest of the people.
“There is no other God but Almighty Allah. He is the giver and the taker. He owns power and authority,” the President said.
He reaffirmed his commitment to building a prosperous Nigeria, investing in the future of young Nigerians and pursuing development in line with the aspirations of the people.
Tinubu described the opportunity to enter the Holy Ka’abah as a historic and deeply cherished spiritual experience, adding that it reflected the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.
The Ogun State Police Command has received three major honours at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council’s Golden Jubilee Press Week, with Commissioner of Police Bode Ojajuni named a Golden Jubilee Ambassador.
The Command received the Shield of Public Safety Award, while its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, was presented with the Vanguard of Public Safety Award.
The recognition formed part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the NUJ in Ogun State, which coincides with the state’s 50th anniversary.
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According to a statement released on Monday, November 2, 2026, by the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Babaseyi, the awards recognised the Command’s commitment to public safety, proactive policing and effective engagement with the media.
The Golden Jubilee Press Week, held from October 26 to November 1, 2026, was themed, “Truth, Trust and the Press: Protecting Democratic Choice and Rebuilding Public Confidence in Journalism.”
Ojajuni also participated in a panel session during the celebration, where he urged journalists to uphold truth, professional ethics and patriotism, stressing the importance of responsible journalism to national development and public confidence in public institutions.
While receiving the Shield of Public Safety Award, the police commissioner attributed the Command’s achievements, particularly the impact of Operation KOSAYE, to the strategic direction of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, under the Handshake Patrol initiative.
He explained that the operation was carried out on the directive of the IGP through collaboration between the Ogun and Lagos State Police Commands, with support from the governors of both states.
According to him, the initiative strengthened security cooperation between the two states and improved coordinated efforts to prevent and combat criminal activities.
Ojajuni was also named among 50 distinguished personalities recognised as Golden Jubilee Ambassadors.
The honour reflects his leadership and previous contributions to policing in Ogun State, where he served as Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department and Squadron Commander of the 16 Police Mobile Force, Abeokuta, before becoming commissioner.
Similarly, Babaseyi received the Vanguard of Public Safety Award in recognition of his contributions to police-public communication, media engagement and public safety advocacy.
The commissioner dedicated the honours to the Inspector-General of Police and officers of the Nigeria Police Force, acknowledging their commitment and sacrifices in protecting lives and property.
The Command also commended the NUJ Ogun State Council, led by its chairman, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju, for the recognition and its role in promoting constructive engagement between journalists and security institutions.
It reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its relationship with the media, noting that effective policing depends not only on operational deployment but also on public trust, timely information and stakeholder engagement.
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