Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Eagle Square, Abuja on Monday morning took the oath of office and oath of allegiance as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Tinubu, now the 16th Nigerian President, mounted the podium alongside his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu while former President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha Buhari stood behind them as the new President took oath of office.
The swearing in of Tinubu bring to a closure the eight years administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu emerged Buhari’s successor as winner of the February 25 Presidential Election declared by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), having polled 8,794,726 votes to defeat his close rivals, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
Today’s event climaxes five-day inauguration programmes which kicked off on Thursday with the conferment of the highest national honour of Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) on Tinubu and a lecture by former Kenya President, Uhuru Kenyatta.
Events kicked off with the arrival of dignitaries at the Eagle Square venue. The Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, Chief Justice of the federation, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, the APC chairman, Adamu Adamu, and a host of others were already on the ground.
Then, President Bola Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, walked into the inauguration arena at amid cheers.
Just before the arrival of the former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his boss, President Muhammadu Buhari to formally kick off the commencement of the swearing-in, there was a skirmish at the entrance to the inauguration arena as some officials engaged in a face-off. But it did not last for long as the quarrel was quickly quelled.
Professor Yemi Osinbajo, arrived at the venue at 9.58am dressed in white flowing clothes and a black cap.
With government functionaries standing in line to welcome Buhari into the square, his wife Aisha Buhari, has just walked in.
Then, a siren-blaring convoy ushering in Buhari into the Square moved slowly, surrounded by resplendently-dressed guards, into the arena in what was his last special honour as Nigerian President.
Clad in white flowing dress, Buhari stood to take the national anthem.
Then, the swearing-in officially begun with an opening prayer from the Imam of National Mosque, Mallam Muhammad Kabir and Bishop Stephen Adegbite.
After that, Vice President Kashim Shettima, alongside his wife, were invited to the podium to take his oath of office, administered by the CJN, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.
Then the oath of office and oath of allegiance was administered on Tinubu.