United States of America, USA, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., on Monday announced the designation of a presidential delegation to attend the inauguration of Nigeria’s 16th President, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on May 29, 2023, in Abuja, Nigeria.
A White House statement stated that the Leader of the delegation is the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Honorable Marcia L. Fudge.
Other members of the presidential delegation, according to the White House statement, include: the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy, Abuja, Mr. David Greene; the United States Representative (D), California, the Honorable Sydney Kamlager-Dove; the Under-Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce, the Honorable Marisa Lago; the Commander of U.S. Africa Command, General Michael E. Langley; the Director, U.S. Trade and Development Agency, the Honorable Enoh T. Ebong; the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State, the Honorable Mary Catherine Phee; Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs, National Security Council, the Honorable Judd Devermont; the Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development, the Honorable Monde Muyangwa.
Recall that the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, had last week made a telephone call to Tinubu, speaking about his election as Nigeria’s next President, and pledging to strengthen existing ties with Nigeria under the Tinubu administration.
The telephone conversation had however attracted some condemnations from Tinubu’s opponents.
Specifically, the presidential candidates of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar had expressed surprise that the US endorsed Tinubu’s victory while the legal processes challenging his election were yet to be completed.
