President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja to attend the inauguration of His Excellency President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday.
President Ramaphosa is received by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa’s High Commissioner to Nigeria Ambassador Thami Mseleku and Nigeria’s Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Police Affairs Mr Abel Enitan.
[PHOTOS]: His Excellency President @CyrilRamaphosa has arrived in the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where he is scheduled to attend the Inauguration of His Excellency President-Elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu @OfficialABAT… pic.twitter.com/TB0J2Ynu2t
— Presidency | South Africa (@PresidencyZA) May 28, 2023
South Africa and Nigeria maintain a strategic partnership in pursuit of strengthening bilateral cooperation and fostering peace, stability, and economic development on the continent.
The two countries share a common vision on issues of political and economic integration in Africa, the need for sustainable conflict resolution and the need for the reform of multilateral institutions, especially the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Bola Tinubu to be sworn in as Nigerian President on Monday
Nigeria’s 16th President
Tinubu is set to be inaugurated as Nigeria’s next President as Muhammadu Buhari officially ends his tenure on Monday. His inauguration will be taking place amidst a legal battle as opposition candidates are challenging his victory at the February 25 polls in court.
Tinubu will be faced with security and economic challenges which he has promised to tackle head-on.
Nigeria’s President-elect will be officially sworn in as Nigeria’s 16th President. Some Nigerians say they are ready for the new president and share their expectations.
Abuja resident Chidiebere Ifeanyichukwu says, “I just hope to see a better Nigeria, a working Nigeria, employment and electricity and maybe opportunities for small and medium enterprises to strive.”
Abuja resident Genevieve Godwin says, “Am really excited. It’s always very nice to have a change in anything, especially in governance. The inauguration is tomorrow and I am hoping that it will be peaceful.
Challenges
Tinubu’s victory at the polls is, however, being challenged by opposition candidates who say election results were manipulated and the elections marred by violence, voter intimidation and vote buying. However, Tinubu says he won and has asked the court to dismiss the petitions.
The Presidential Elections Petition Tribunal has been hearing the petitions filed by the opposition since the 8th of May and proceedings at the court are expected to last weeks after the inauguration.
Legal Practitioner Victor Giwa says, “When somebody that you are challenging his election is sworn in, he now takes over the machinery of the state, has access to public fund, he uses the public fund to defend himself, he has access to the institutions, he can affect whichever way this institution, so it is always advised…it is proper and better for the tribunal to dispense with all the issues before the swearing in of any candidate or of the winner to avoid imbalance, inequality in the process.”
Political analysts say the incoming president should ensure he appoints qualified people to his cabinet as there are many challenges that lie ahead.
Political affairs analyst Jide Ojo says, “In the immediate period, he needs to appoint the right people into the right ministries departments and agencies because the buck stops at his table if he fails to appoint the right people if everything is handed over to political jobbers, people who assisted him to win the election, whether they have value to add or they don’t have value to add just because you want to settle your political debt if that’s what you want to do in 2023 in Nigeria, we’re back to square one in fact, back to square zero.”
But Tinubu’s team says legal proceedings will not affect his swearing-in.
Countdown to inauguration of Nigeria’s new president Bola Tinubu
Activities for the inauguration have already been kicked off and President Muhammdu Buhari has already handed over transition notes and the presidential baton to the President-Elect Bola Tinubu and would end when he takes the oath of office on Monday. The new president will be faced with tackling security and economic challenges. -Additional reporting by Ajeck Mangut
