President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Accra, Ghana, on Monday to participate in the inauguration of Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama. The ceremony is scheduled for January 7, 2025, marking a significant moment in Ghanaian politics.
Tinubu, who departed Lagos earlier in the day, was warmly received at Kotoka International Airport by Julius Debra, Chief of Staff to Ghana’s outgoing President, Nana Akufo-Addo. This diplomatic visit underscores the strong ties between Nigeria and Ghana, as well as Tinubu’s role as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
John Dramani Mahama, who previously served as Ghana’s 12th president from 2011 to 2017, regained the presidency after a decisive victory in the December 2024 elections. He succeeds President Nana Akufo-Addo, who has led Ghana since 2017.
President Tinubu is accompanied by a delegation that includes the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and other senior government officials. The trip follows an earlier invitation from President-elect Mahama, who had visited Tinubu in Nigeria in December 2024.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, confirmed the visit in a statement on Sunday.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Monday, January 6, for Accra, the capital of the Republic of Ghana, to attend the inauguration of President-elect John Dramani Mahama on January 7,” the statement read.
Onanuga highlighted the longstanding personal and bilateral relationship between Mahama and Tinubu, as well as between Nigeria and Ghana.
As ECOWAS Chairman, Tinubu’s presence at the inauguration reflects his commitment to fostering regional unity and cooperation. He joins other African leaders in celebrating Ghana’s peaceful democratic transition, a hallmark of stability in West Africa.
The event is expected to further strengthen the bilateral relationship between the two nations while underscoring ECOWAS’ role in promoting democracy and good governance across the region.