The President-elect of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, has taken up residence at the Defence House in Maitama, Abuja, ahead of his inauguration on May 29, 2023. This official residence is traditionally provided to all presidents-elect to facilitate their transition to the presidency.
According to Festus Keyamo, Tinubu's campaign spokesperson, he arrived on April 26, 2023, and will be receiving daily security briefings while also rehearsing for the inauguration.
Tinubu's move to Abuja follows his return from a personal break in London and Paris, where he stayed for over a month. His absence and minimal public appearances during his time away have raised concerns about his health and his ability to fulfill the demands of the presidency.
However, in a short address upon his return on April 24, Tinubu assured his supporters that he was fit and ready to start working.
Tinubu emerged as the winner of the presidential election held on February 25, defeating Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), and 15 other candidates in a closely-contested election. Obi and Atiku have submitted separate petitions to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, asking for a declaration as the true winners of the election or a fresh election due to alleged irregularities.
The Action Alliance (AA), Allied People's Movement (APM), and Action People's Party (APP) have also submitted petitions to invalidate the election and/or order a fresh one.
However, Tinubu is set to be sworn in as the next President of Nigeria on May 29, before the petitions can reach a final conclusion at the Supreme Court in October. It is worth noting that no sitting Nigerian president has ever been removed by the court.
