President-elect Tinubu Appoints 14-members For Inauguration Committee

President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced 14 names for Presidential Inauguration Committee to ensure that the transition happens seamlessly. Tinubu will take over the role of president in May after President Muhammadu Buhari steps down.

The committee members will be responsible for planning the week-long inauguration activities. This committee members' names were submitted to Secretary to the Government of Federation, Boss Mustapha six weeks ahead of the handing-over ceremony, which is slated to happen on May 29.

"Yeah, the list of the 14-men committee is authentic. It is genuine and a few more names will come later," Special Adviser to the President-elect, Dr. Dele Alake told Punch on Thursday about the new committee.

Bayo Onanuga, who works as Senator Kashim Shettima and Tinubu's spokesman, will become the Head of Media and Publicity while the current acting National Deputy Chairman (North) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as per the list.

Cross River State Commissioner for Health Betta Edu will work with the medical team. Senator Abubakar Kyari will be responsible for the committee's finance and budget.

The list also includes Abdulazeez Yar'Adua, who is the younger brother of the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. He will be working as the head of security and ceremonial parade for the inauguration.

Executive Director of Nigeria Export-Import Bank, Stella Okotete will be responsible for Secretariat, Planning and Monitoring while former governorship aspirant in Ekiti, Makinde Araoye will take care of Venue, Parade and Swearing in.

Ex-Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Dr. Danladi Bako will look after the lecture during the inauguration while the daughter of the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), Zainab Marwa-Abubakar will serve as an anchor to the pre-Inauguration dinner and gala night.

Other members include Samira Saddik (Children's Day), Abuh Andrew Abuh (Accommodation), Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed Kabir (Transportation and Logistics), Donald Wokoma (Protocol and Invitation), Bishop Adegbite (Church Service) and Imam Faud (Jumat Service).

Tinubu had previously served two consecutive terms as governor of Lagos, which is Nigeria's largest city. Nigeria's newly elected President, who ran for the presidential election for the first time at the age of 71, also made it to the list of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2023.

Tinubu won the presidential election with 8,794,726 votes and Peter Obi came third with 6,101,533 votes, while Atiku Abubakar received 6,984,520 votes.

Presidential election results came out on Feb. 25 and Labour Party candidate Obi filed petitions against INEC and All Progressives Congress (APC)'s candidate Tinubu after the latter was named president-elect.

The petition was filed almost a month after the presidential election results were announced and a close source to the issue disclosed that Obi took his time before filing the petition so that he could collect proper backup for the claims he put on Tinubu.

Following the elections in the country, Tinubu left for Europe to seek medical care after falling ill. "He was attended to by local doctors but he has left for Europe for proper medical care," a source disclosed last month.