President Bola Tinubu is set to depart from Abuja today (Tuesday) for Dakar, Senegal, where he will attend the inauguration of Senegal’s President-elect, Bassirou Faye. This information was disclosed in a statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, titled ‘President Tinubu to attend the inauguration of Senegal’s President-elect Bassirou Faye.’
Additionally, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, shared via @aonanuga1956 on X, stating, “The inauguration of the 44-year-old President will take place at the Diamniadio Exhibition Centre. President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, will join other regional leaders to witness the inauguration.”
This marks Tinubu’s first visit to Senegal since assuming office, upon the invitation of the Senegalese government. Accompanying him on the trip will be the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and other senior government officials. The President is expected to return to Nigeria after the conclusion of the inauguration ceremony.
Senegal becomes the fifth African country Tinubu has visited since assuming office ten months ago, and it marks his 17th foreign destination. Congratulating Faye on his victory last week, Tinubu emphasized that the successful elections in Senegal and Liberia have bolstered ECOWAS’s campaign for democracy in the West African sub-region.
Faye emerged as Senegal’s President-elect following an unprecedented victory in the presidential election held on Sunday, March 24, 2024. The electoral commission reported that over seven million people were registered to vote out of roughly 17 million Senegalese, with a voter turnout of over 61 percent. To win, candidates had to secure more than 50 percent of the votes.
Although the official results are set to be announced by the constitutional council on April 3, preliminary results indicated Faye’s victory with about 53.7 percent of the votes. The opposition candidate, Faye, who is a protégé of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, has vowed to lead with humility, fight corruption, and protect Senegal from foreign interference.
