Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu got sworn in as the country’s new president on Monday, vowing to unite Africa’s most populous nation, reported The TRT World. The ceremony was held amid tight security at the 5,000-capacity Eagle Square venue in Abuja.
Nigerians without invitations were asked to avoid the ceremony and a national holiday was announced on the occasion.
The 71-year-old Tinubu succeeds former President Muhammadu Buhari of the same party, who stepped down from the post after being in office for two terms. He secured just 37 percent of the votes during February’s polls – the lowest of any elected Nigerian president since the handover from military to democratic rule in 1999.
“As president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I will discharge my duties and perform my functions honestly to the best of my ability, faithfully and in accordance with the constitution,” Nigeria’s new president said in a live broadcast from the swearing-in ceremony.
Kashim Shettima was also sworn in as vice president during the ceremony, taking over from Yemi Osinbajo.
The swearing-in ceremony was also attended by several foreign leaders and representatives including presidents Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana as well as delegations from Britain, China, India, and the United States.
Tinubu’s political rivals and opposition leaders have launched a legal challenge to the result, which is ongoing. The opposition alleges that the elections were marred with irregularities, including violence at the polls, and logistical and procedural shortcomings, including the inability to upload election results from polling units in real-time.
The outcome of the court challenge is expected to be out in about three weeks. If the court upholds the opposition’s challenges, then it would be the first time a presidential election would be nullified by the court in Nigeria’s history.
Nigeria’s new president also faces corruption allegations, which he denies, and questions over his health condition.
