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.