President-elect, Asíwájú Bola Ahmed Tinubu joined President Muhammadu Buhari for the Juma’at prayers at the State House Mosque, Abuja Friday afternoon, 26 May, 2023, as part of nationwide special prayers marking the inauguration of the incoming administration.
President Buhari had invited Asíwájú Tinubu to join him for the prayers, his last at the State House Mosque before he hands over power and takes his final bow from office on Monday, 29 May, 2023.
The formal handover ceremonies started Thursday, 25 May, 2023, with the investiture of the President-elect and the Vice president-elect with highest national honours and presentation of the handover documents to the incoming president.
Muslim prayers and interdenominational Christian service were scheduled for Friday, 26 May, and Sunday, 28 May, 2023, respectively.
While the two events were billed to hold at the National Mosque and the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja, similar prayer sessions were planned all over the country.
The events will climax on Monday, 29 May, 2023, when the former Lagos Governor takes the oath of office as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
At the well-attended prayer session at the National Mosque, President-elect Tinubu was represented by Vice president-elect, Senator Shettima.
At both mosques, Imams prayed for the success of the incoming administration and supplicate for Allah’s guidance for Tinubu and his deputy to steer the ship of the country to greater destination.
They also admonished Muslim faithful to constantly remember their leaders and the country in prayers as enjoined by Islam.
Speaking after observing the prayers at the State House, President-elect Tinubu said he had come to join President Buhari to offer prayers to Almighty Allah to support him to carry out the task of governance successfully.
He said he would drink from the fountain of knowledge and wisdom of the Chief Imam of the State House Mosque, Sheikh Abdulwahid Abubakar Suleiman who reminded leaders of the burden of trust in leadership.
Among those who observed the Juma’at at the State House were former Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, General Buba Marwa; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, and some other presidential aides.
