Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a former Governor of Lagos state, took the oath of office as Nigeria’s 16th president, on Monday, May 29, 2023, assuming leadership of a country battling rising unemployment, insecurity and economic hardship.
With his hand on a Quran, Tinubu was flanked by his wife Remi and children, and the family of former President Muhammadu Buhari as he recited the oath administered by Chief Justice of Nigeria Olukayode Arowoola at 10:37 a.m.
It’s his first political office since 2007 when he left office as the governor of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital and the fourth richest African city with N26.59 trillion GDP, according to a 2021 report by the Lagos Bureau of Statistics (LBS).
Vice President Kashim Shettima, a former Governor of Borno State and Senator, was sworn in a few minutes earlier at 10:29 am, bringing an end to Prof Yemi Osinbajo’s eight years as Nigeria’s Vice President.
The oath taking which signified the official inauguration of the new President and Vice President was followed by other rituals of transfer of power from Buhari to Tinubu, which includes the lowering and hoisting of the defense flags, the taking of first salute and inspection of guards of honour by the new president.
Immediately after receiving the lowered defense flag, Buhari departed the Eagle Square for the Nnamdi Azikwe Airport to board a waiting flight to Katsina state where he will thereafter head to Daura, his hometown.
