Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has confirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s inauguration for a second term will be a low-key affair in order to keep costs down. The event is set to take place on Wednesday, May 29.
Mr. Mohammed said Nigeria cannot afford to spend a huge amount of money on the May 29 inauguration ceremony, when Democracy Day would be celebrated two weeks later on June 12.
“The celebration of the inauguration and the advancement of democracy in the country will now take place on June 12,” the minister said, reported BBC.
Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, also told Channels TV on Monday that while May 29 will be significant as the inauguration day, all ceremonies associated with the inauguration have been postponed to June 12.
He said the government wants the world to see June 12 as Nigeria’s most important day as far as democracy is concerned. He further explained that the inauguration will still remain important because as per the Constitution, the four-year term officially ends on the 29th.
“Let me say emphatically, it is important that the President and the governors are being inaugurated on the 29th,” Shehu said. “Constitutionally, that must take place because their four-year term (2015-2019), expires on the 29th.”
He noted that the inauguration would take place at the Eagles Square, Abuja and will be attended by the missions in the country, embassies, and other key figures.
“Delegations will come but we are welcoming them on June 12,” Shehu added.
Mr. Buhari, 76 won the second term in elections in February. He defeated his main rival Atiku Abubakar by a comfortable margin.
More details of the two upcoming events will reportedly be announced at a world press conference on May 20, 2019, in Abuja.
