- Onanuga, Kyari, Okotete, Araoye, others make list
- Sustain your vigilance, Group tells DSS, Military, others
The President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has announced a 13-man presidential inauguration committee composed of eminent Nigerians to plan a week-long event that will usher him and his Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima in as the President and Vice-President of Nigeria.
Tinubu is expected to be inaugurated as the 16th President of Nigeria on May 29, 2023.
In a letter to the Secretary to the Government of Federation, Boss Mustapha, Tinubu announced a former Senator representing Borno North and current National Deputy Chairman (North) of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abubakar Kyari as the Coordinator and Director of Finance and Budget of the Committee.
The Executive Director (Business Development) at the Nigeria Export-Import Bank, Stella Okotete will serve as the head of Secretariat, Planning and Monitoring, while Makinde Araoye, an ex-APC governorship aspirant from Ekiti State will serve as the Director of venue, parades and swearing-in for the week-long event.
The APC Presidential Campaign Spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga will serve as Head of Media and Publicity, while the former Cross Rivers State Commissioner for Health and current National Women Leader of the APC, Betta Edu will coordinate the medical team for the inauguration committee.
A younger brother of late Nigeria’s President, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Col. Abdulazeez Yar’Adua will act as the head of Security and Ceremonial parade for the inauguration with Mrs. Zainab Buba Marwa, will coordinate the pre-inauguration dinner and gala night for the committee.
Other members of the committee are Samira Saddik (Children’s Day), Abuh Andrew Abuh (Accommodation), Danladi Bako (Inaugural Lecture), Hajiya Hadiza Mohammed Kabir (Transportation and Logistics), Donald Wokoma (Protocol and Invitation), Bishop Adegbite (Church Service) and Imam Faud (Jumat Service).
Tinubu had initially forwarded the names of Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State and former Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Wale Edun to Boss Mustapha to be included as his representatives in the Transition Committee.
Sustain your vigilance, Group tells DSS, Military, others
Meanwhile, ahead of the May 29 inauguration of Tinubu, a pro-Nigerian group, The Natives has urged relevant security agencies to remain vigilant.
The group which acknowledged the role played by the Department of State Security Service and the military in alerting the nation of a grand plot to rubbish the result of last February presidential election and foist an Interim National Government, noted that masterminds of the ING have not given up on their plot.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Leader of the Natives, Smart Edwards, said concerted efforts must be sustained to consolidate the country’s 24 years of uninterrupted democracy.
He said “We, the Natives, are also using this medium to urge the Nigerian security apparatus to step up their games against the saboteurs as the nation prepares towards the historic inauguration of the 16th President of Nigeria, another popularly elected President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“We must at this juncture openly commend profusely the swift response of the DSS under their Director General, the Defense Headquarters, and the entire intelligence community for their professionalism and commitment to their democratic obligation by alerting, and distancing the establishment from any complicity and readiness to frustrate any mischievous effort to truncate our much-cherished democracy.
“You may wish to know that pathetic political jobbers parading the nation appealing for Interim National Government because of their conspiracy theories and illusions on the outcome of the just concluded elections have attracted shame for themselves and their co-travellers by the dignity of our gate-keepers, worthy armed forces.
“These saboteurs by their open and sinister moves have been bungled and busted by the vigilance and verity of the Department of State Security.
“So for taking a professional stand and democratic position in the face of an intending political catastrophe, protecting our constitution, and non-interference in the statutory roles of the electoral body, our military and intelligence community deserves global applause.
“Towards this end, the Natives of Nigeria encourage the military and the intelligence community to remain ever-committed to civilian rule and sustain their character as professionals and defenders of our sovereignty.
“We acknowledge your quest for more sophistication, better welfare, training, citizen support, and reinvigoration of our military architecture to serve the nation better and thereby sustain our formidable military might in the Region while achieving national unity and cohesion.
“The renewed hope mandate certainly assures us of determination to invest in our security as a critical sector and this will no doubt revamp the glory of our gallant forces with renewed successes as giants of Africa and defenders of democracy.”
