By Joke Kujenya
TO ATTEND the inauguration ceremony of President Mahamat Déby in N’Djamena, Chad, President Bola Tinubu leaves Abuja today, Thursday, May 23.
President Déby’s inauguration follows his recent election victory, affirmed by Chad’s Constitutional Court.
Tinubu, along with senior government officials, will return to Nigeria after the ceremony, as confirmed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.
Déby, the leader of Chad’s junta, secured 61% of the vote in the May 6 presidential election. His victory was officially declared by the Constitutional Council, which also dismissed a challenge from Prime Minister Succes Masra.
Despite Masra’s objections, he urged his supporters to remain peaceful.
The election was called to transition Chad from military to civilian rule, crucial for stability in the jihadism-plagued Sahel region.
Following the provisional results, Déby proclaimed himself “the elected president of all Chadians,” committing to his campaign promises. Masra finished second with 18.5% of the vote, while former Prime Minister Albert Pahimi Padacke secured 16.9%.
Déby assumed the presidency in 2021 after his father, Idriss Déby Itno, was killed by rebels. Initially promising an 18-month transition to democracy, Mahamat Déby extended the period by two years. The election featured ten candidates, though many were either lesser-known or not openly opposed to Déby’s regime.
Observers had predicted Déby’s victory due to his significant support and the country’s turbulent political history marked by coups and authoritarian rule since gaining independence from France in 1960.
