President Bola Ahmed Tinubu officially assumed office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, same as Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Tinubu, who arrived at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, a day after he was sworn in as the 16th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was received by Shettima, accompanied by State House Permanent Secretary, Tijjani Idris Umar, and Director of Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye, among other State House staff.
Others, who were on hand to receive Tinubu, were Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Mem House Representatives for Ikeja Federal Constituency, Rt. Hon James Faleke; Wale Edun; Dele Alake, as well as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, and Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
The officials led Tinubu into his office, where he held a closed-door meeting with Emefiele and Kyari, presumably to address the fallout of fuel subsidy removal and other national issues.
The meeting was Tinubu’s first official assignment at the Villa, following a return of fuel queues, as marketers react to removal of the subsidy.
Tinubu had, during his inauguration speech on Monday, announced the removal, and his resolve to reduce high interest rates, which he described as disincentives to attracting investments.
The announcements led to the return of fuel queues at filling stations across the country, despite assurances by NNPCL of sufficient supply of the commodity.
Meanwhile, Presidency officials, yesterday, began the replacement of all former President Muhammadu Buhari’s portraits with official photographs of the new President.
Most of the offices now adorn official photographs of the new President and Vice President, signaling formal commencement of a new administration
In the same vain, the framed official Pictures Wall, along the corridor leading to the office of the President, has been cleared of photographs of the old administration and awaits the display of pictures from activities of the new President.
