The Federal Government has unveiled a schedule of events for the May 29 inauguration of the incoming administration.
Giving an update on the most anticipated event in the country, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, revealed: “On Friday, of course, there will be prayers. On Saturday, there’ll be a public lecture. On Sunday, there will be a church service and then on Monday, there will be the inauguration proper at Eagle Square, and then there will be dinner in the evening, largely for visiting heads of states and those who have been invited to the dinner. So, governance continues until May 29.”
Before then, Mohammed disclosed that on Thursday, all ministers and other stakeholders would be present at the conferment of the national honours on both the President-elect, Tinubu and the Vice President-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima.
The Minister also noted that at the occasion, the handing-over instrument will also be given to the incoming President.
Speaking on the highlights of the Wednesday meeting, the Minister said: “It’s instructive to note that each and every minister present today, and I’m not aware of any who was absent, was given between two to five minutes to make his or her own valedictory speech and I think largely everybody commended Mr. President and thanked the President for the opportunity to serve the country at this level.
“Many also took the opportunity to reel out what his or her own ministry or department had achieved over the last eight years. Of course you know, there are about three classes or categories of ministers; there are ministers that came in 2015 and us who were retained till 2023. There’re ministers that came in 2019 and have been there till 2023 and there are the last batch of ministers that came in about nine months ago.
“So everybody made his or her own valedictory speech, depending on how long he or she had been occupying the position. But generally, I think it was just a glorious moment for all the ministers to thank the President, thank their colleagues and also give gratitude to God, that a journey that started in 2015 is ending very well in 2023.
“I think everybody, including the Chief of Staff, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Service, the Vice President, all made their valedictory speeches and then the President responded, and I think largely he thanked all of us for our contributions and prayed for us in our next endeavour.
“He reiterated the fact that we should all go back to our offices so that we can carry out the assignments and tasks assigned to us in respect of the transition program.”
Buhari Sets For Pastoral Work
Earlier at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari said he is looking forward to returning to his pastoral work after handing over power on May 29, 2023.
Buhari, at the FEC meeting attended by his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and other cabinet members, lauded both the senior and junior workers for supporting his administration for eight years.
He thanked all the ministers for their steadfastness in pursuing the administration’s goals, urging them to support the incoming President, Bola Tinubu, even from outside government.
The Nigerian leader stressed that he would be happy to do the many things that he has not been able to do since May 29th, 2015, when he took over the government from President Goodluck Jonathan, one of which he noted to be pastoral farming.
