Buhari to depart Abuja for Ethiopia Sunday

President Muhammadu Buhari is set to jet out of the country on Sunday to enable him to attend the inauguration of the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, for a second five-year term in office on Monday in Addis Ababa.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, who made the disclosure in a statement on Saturday, said President Buhari is scheduled to deliver a goodwill message during the inauguration ceremony.

Adesina noted that President Buhari would subsequently attend a State Banquet in honour of visiting Heads of State and Government of the country.

According to the statement, the president is expected to return to the country on Tuesday, October 5.

Those billed to accompany the president include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

The statement read

PRESIDENT BUHARI TO ATTEND ETHIOPIAN PRIME MINISTER ABIY AHMED’S INAUGURATION

President Muhammadu Buhari will attend the inauguration of the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed for a second five-year term in office on Monday in Addis Ababa.

The President, who will depart Abuja for the Ethiopian capital on Sunday, is scheduled to deliver a goodwill message at the inauguration ceremony, after which he will attend a State Banquet in honour of visiting Heads of State and Government.

President Buhari will be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

He is expected back in Abuja on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Ahmed secured another term in office following the victory of Ethiopia’s governing Prosperity Party in the country’s parliamentary election of June 21.

In his earlier congratulatory message to the Prime Minister, President Buhari had assured that Nigeria will continue to support the unity and territorial well-being of Ethiopia and all African States.

‘‘On behalf of the Nigerian people, I send you and the people of Ethiopia our well wishes for your courage and commitment to the democratic process and urge you to continue with the good policies of your government that endeared you to the people,’’ the President said in his congratulatory message to the Prime Minister.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 2, 2021