Vice President Kashim Shettima departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja for Cotonou, the economic hub of the Republic of Benin, to represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the formal inauguration ceremony of the country's newly elected President, Romuald Wadagni.
The high-profile international state event, scheduled for Sunday, marks the official commencement of Wadagni’s seven-year constitutional term at the helm of the West African nation.
President-elect Romuald Wadagni, a 49-year-old technocrat and the country's long-serving former Minister of Economy and Finance, secured a sweeping victory in the April 12 presidential polls by capturing approximately 94 percent of the total votes cast.
Wadagni succeeds outgoing President Patrice Talon, who successfully led the nation since 2016 and honorably stepped down after completing his two-term constitutional limit.
The democratic transition has drawn widespread praise across the sub-region as a model for institutional stability and adherence to democratic norms within the West African bloc.
According to an official diplomatic press release issued by Stanley Nkwocha, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Shettima will join an array of African Heads of State and international dignitaries for the state proceedings.
The schedule of events will commence at the Presidential Palace in Cotonou for the formal transfer of executive power and the presentation of presidential insignia, followed by a state motorcade procession to the Charles de Gaulle Stadium in the capital city of Porto-Novo, where Wadagni and his running mate, Mariam Chabi Talata, will take their official oaths of office.
The presidency emphasized that Nigeria and the Republic of Benin share deep-seated historical, cultural, and economic ties, with critical mutual interests across cross-border trade optimization, maritime security, and regional energy networks.
The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains unyielding in its commitment to promoting democratic consolidation, regional peace, and deep socio-economic integration within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Vice President Shettima, accompanied by senior foreign policy advisors and top-tier government administrators, is expected to return to Abuja immediately following the conclusion of the inaugural events.
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