Shettima Departs Abuja to Represent Tinubu at Ouattara’s Fourth-Term Inauguration
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Sunday left Abuja for Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where he will stand in for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the inauguration of President Alassane Ouattara, who begins his fourth term in office.
Shettima will join several African and international leaders for the swearing-in ceremony scheduled for Monday, December 8, 2025, at the Presidential Palace in Abidjan.
President Ouattara secured his fourth-term victory in the October 25, 2025 election. Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire maintain warm diplomatic relations, working closely through ECOWAS and the African Union on areas such as security, trade, agriculture, anti-trafficking initiatives, and digital economy development. Informal trade ties and a sizable Nigerian community in Côte d’Ivoire further strengthen the relationship between both nations.
The Vice President is traveling in the company of Omar Aliyu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission; Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs; and Hon. Usman Zannah, who represents the Kaga/Gubio/Magumeri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Shettima is expected to return to Abuja after the conclusion of the inauguration events.
