Tinubu, Shettima resume in Aso Villa as Nigerians await official appointments

PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu officially assumed office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, same as Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Tinubu, who arrived the forecourt of the Presidential Villa, a day after he was sworn- in as the 16th President of 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; House member, 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 replacement of all former President Muhammadu Buhari’s portraits with official photographs of the new President.