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65 World Leaders Set to Grace May 29 Presidential Inauguration As FG Releases Programme of Events

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About 65 world leaders, including Heads of State, have been invited to grace the inauguration of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, who will be sworn in as the 16th President of Nigeria on May 29.

Also expected at the nation’s seventh transition ceremony are past presidents, diplomats, heads of international organisations and prominent Nigerians and representatives of foreign governments and agencies.

The inauguration programmes will begin on Thursday with the  investiture of Tinubu with  the  Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic and  the Vice-President-elect, Kashim Shettima, as the Grand Commander of Order of the Niger.

A director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed to The PUNCH on Thursday that several African leaders had indicated interest in attending the inauguration ceremony which would take place at Eagle Square, Abuja.

“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,’’ said the director, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue.

Representatives of Nigeria’s traditional allies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, China, Germany, Finland, Jamaica, Japan, Israel, Turkey and several others are expected at the high-profile event.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday as activities for the transition of power to the incoming administration began, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, disclosed that scores of world leaders would attend the event.

The preparation for the swearing-in of the former Lagos State governor is gathering steam as the battle to nullify his election victory by the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar and his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi continues at the Presidential Election Petitions Court.

On Thursday, the PEPC adjourned further proceedings in Atiku’s petition till Friday (today) to continue further pre-hearing sessions as well as to hear pending applications that were filed by the respondents.

The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led panel said the court would decide on the number of witnesses that would be allowed for each of the parties, the time to be allocated to them, as well as the time to be allowed for cross-examination.

He urged the parties to put heads together and agree on further modalities to be adopted.

The court had similarly adjourned Obi’s petition till today following the failure of the parties to harmonise the documents germane to their pleadings.

But unveiling the inauguration programmes, Mustapha, who doubles as the Chairman of the  Presidential Transition Council, disclosed that Tinubu and the Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima would be honoured with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic and Grand Commander of Order of the Niger, respectively, on May 25.

Reeling out the activities for the event, he further disclosed that transition documents would be handed over to Tinubu and Shettima on the same day.

At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Ekwo adjourned the matter after Nwachukwu addressed the court on the issue of locus standi, jurisdiction and whether the matter is not already before the presidential election petition court.

In his argument, the counsel told the court that it had jurisdiction to hear the matter since the plaintiffs are not parties to the petition currently before the presidential election petition court.

In a related development, Ali Ali, the Coordinator of the Peace and Stability Initiative, said the group had uncovered plans by local and foreign interests to thwart the May 29 inauguration of the new administration.

In a statement on Thursday, Ali said foreign agents collaborating with local organisations masquerading as civil society groups are at the centre of the plot.

He said the plans had been in the works since Tinubu was announced as the president-elect on March 1.

“These agents of destabilisation have not relented in their evil plots even though we are just a few days away from the May 29, 2023 inauguration of a new central government that will be led by the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the statement read.

The Punch

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Breaking: Founder, DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi is Dead

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By Eric Elezuo

The Founder of DAAR Communications, owners of the foremost radio and television stations in Nigeria, Raypower and African Independent Television (AIT), High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, is dead.

Reliable sources said the High Chief died while exercising on a treadmill on Monday afternoon.

The source said Dopkesi suffered a stroke some weeks ago.

Details soon…

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I Stand on Rule of Law, with Our Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, PDP, Says Dele Momodu

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By Eric Elezuo

Frontline journalist and Director of Strategic Communications of the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Council in the just concluded Presidential election, Chief Dele Momodu, had said that he remains a loyal member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and will always stand on the side of rule of law, and with the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Momodu made the revelations in a statement he signed himself, noting that the last election, which brought Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to power, was savagely manipulated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He praised the steps Atiku, and the presidential candidate of the Labour candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, have taken in seeking legal redress.

The statement in details:

I STAND ON RULE OF LAW

My position on the state of our country NIGERIA is simple and straightforward. I’m a loyal member of PDP who owes absolute allegiance to Nigeria and its Rule of Law. My political party PDP and others passionately hold the view that the last Presidential election was savagely manipulated by the ruling party APC and the cases are already in courts. Nothing will make me abandon my party on the altar of convenience and profit. Win or lose, I will continue to stand on this principle without any malice or prejudice against those who think otherwise. Democracy is a game of choice and I’m resolutely standing by our candidate, the former Vice President ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR (GCON) who has taken the honorable and peaceful step of going to court to seek redress. This is the only way we can deepen our hard earned Democracy. Sacrifice is not always convenient but painful.

I salute and respect The Wazirin Adamawa and others like my dear friend and Brother, former Governor Peter Obi, the Labor Party Presidential candidate, for promoting the best tenets of Democracy in Nigeria and I’m willing to encourage them rather than discourage their onerous quests…

CHIEF DELE MOMODU

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Tinubu Gives First Policy Directive, Removes Fuel Subsidy

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In the first policy directive of his administration, President Bola Tinubu has announced the removal of fuel subsidy.

He disclosed this on Monday in his inaugural speech as the new President of Nigeria.

According to him, subsidy can no longer justify its ever increasing costs in the wake of drying resources.

“We shall instead re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, healthcare and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions,” Tinubu stated.

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