President Bola Tinubu will depart Lagos today to attend the inauguration of President-elect John Dramani Mahama in Accra, Ghana.
The event, scheduled for January 7, is being organized at Mahama’s request.
A statement by Tinubu’s media aide, Bayo Onanuga, noted that Mahama and President Tinubu have a longstanding personal relationship, akin to what Nigeria and Ghana shares through their bilateral relationship.
Mahama, who served as the 12th president of Ghana from 2011 to 2017, won the December 2024 election and is set to return to office, succeeding President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose term will end in 2025.
Earlier in December 2024, Mahama visited President Tinubu to congratulate him on his election. The two leaders share a strong personal relationship, which is a reflection of the close bilateral ties between Nigeria and Ghana. As Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Tinubu will join other African leaders at the inauguration ceremony.
Accompanying President Tinubu on the trip will be Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, along with other senior government officials.
Mahama’s victory came after Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia conceded defeat and expressed respect for the outcome of the election. The result marks the end of two terms for the New Patriotic Party under President Akufo-Addo. The election outcome follows a challenging economic period in Ghana, marked by high inflation and a debt default.
“Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and other senior government officials will accompany President Tinubu on the trip,” the statement by Onanuga added.
