15 presidents expected at Jonathan’s inauguration tomorrow

Tomorrow is the D- Day. And all is set for the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan as the 15th head of government and commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. This is sequel to his victory at the presidential election held on April 16.

The event, which will hold at the Eagles Square, in Abuja, is expected to be graced by many heads of states and presidents, members of the diplomatic corps, former presidents and heads of states and presidential candidates of the 21 political parties that contested the presidential election among other dignitaries.

According to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, the presidential inauguration will cost about N830 million. The cost implication of the one-week cere was earlier put at N1.3 billion.

Yayale also disclosed, during the week, that invitations had been extended to 40 presidents and heads of states from across the world but that 15 had confirmed their attendance. He explained that the 39-member Presidential Inauguration Committee is looking at the possibility of hosting at least 20 heads of government, adding that invitations would not be extended to foreign leaders who adorn the robe of controversy.

The presidents, who will grace the occasion, include Mr Attah Mills of Ghana, Alhassan Quatarra of Cote D’Ivoire, Yweri Museveni of Uganda and Yayi Boni of Benin Republic. Others are Senegal’s Abdulaye Wade, Mrs Johnson Sirleaf of Lberia, Gnasingbe Fona of Togo, Gambia’s Yahye Jameh and Blaise Campaore.

There are 14 sub-committees packaging the event. Headed by ministers, the sub-committees would take charge of the president’s speeches, finance, security, publicity, inauguration lecture, football match, utilities, venue and souvenirs etc.
Activities marking the ceremony started with a press briefing by the SGF on Monday, May 23. Same day, President Jonathan held an interactive session with the business community in Lagos. The next day, the president held a special session with youths and had dinner with Corporate Nigeria.
An exhibition tagged, Nigeria, Our Nigeria/Unveiling of Mr. President’s portrait, took place on Wednesday, May 25 at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

There was inauguration lecture on Thursday and the First Lady hosted a banquet for women same day.
Yesterday Juma’at prayers took place at the National Mosque, Abuja, while the Children’s Day celebration held at the Old Parade Ground. The defending premier league champions, Eyimba International Football Club of Aba, will trade tackles today with last year’s runner up, Kano Pillars Football Club. Venue is the National Stadium, Abuja. A thanksgiving/Christian service will also hold at the National Christian Centre in Abuja today.
Furthermore, there will be an inauguration banquet as well as inauguration eve concert featuring musical cum cultural concert and fireworks display at the Old Parade Ground tonight. The event will climax with the swearing in of President Jonathan tomorrow for a four-year term.

Meanwhile, to avoid a repeat of the October 1, last year twin bomb blasts, which killed and wounded several people during the Independence Day celebration, security has been tightened in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility for the bombings, which caused national embarrassment and outrage.
It was gathered that movements around Eagles Square would be restricted even as eagle eyed security men would watch over the FCT.

 -Sun

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Posted by admin on May 28 2011. Filed under Goodluck Jonathan (2010-present), Latest Politics, Presidency. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry