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President Bola Tinubu will, today, depart Abuja for Dakar to attend the inauguration of Senegal’s President-elect, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. A statement by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, yesterday in Abuja, explained that the trip is based on the invitation by the Republic of Senegal.
Tinubu, who is also Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government, will join other regional leaders to witness the inauguration at the Diamniadio Exhibition Centre in Dakar. He is being accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar and other senior government officials.
The Nigerian leader would return after the event. Faye, an anti-establishment candidate and ally of popular opposition figure Ousmane Sonko, won more than 54 per cent of votes cast in last Sunday’s delayed presidential poll.
His closest rival and ruling coalition’s standard-bearer, Amadou Ba, who was handpicked by outgoing President Macky Sall, got about 35 per cent of the ballots.
Senegal’s Constitutional Council has said no objections had been raised by the other contenders. At 44, Faye becomes Africa’s youngest President. His victory came just 10 days after he was released from prison.
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