Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Sunday drove Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari when the latter arrived at Bole International Airport at 5:06p.m (Nigerian time) for Mr Ahmed’s inauguration for another five-year term.
Mr Buhari, on arrival, was accorded a full guard of honour by the Ethiopian National Defence Force.
After the inspection of the guard of honour, the prime minister gestured Buhari into a waiting SUV, took control of the wheels, chauffeuring him straight to the newly built expansive friendship park for a private dinner.
The dinner was attended by the president of Ethiopia, Sahle-Work Zewde, and the president of Senegal, Macky Sall.
While in Addis Ababa, the Nigerian leader is expected to deliver a goodwill message at the inauguration event scheduled to hold at the historic Meskel Square.
President Buhari will join other African leaders, who will be attending the event in person, including the presidents of Djibouti, Kenya, South Sudan, Senegal, Somalia, Uganda and the prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On the significance of Buhari’s visit to the country, the ambassador of Nigeria to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the African Union, Victor Adeleke said, ‘‘Nigeria and Ethiopia enjoy warm cordial relations, they are equally the two largest democracies in Africa, in this wise, the attendance of President Buhari at the inauguration ceremony of Prime Minister Ahmed is an indication of the President’s commitment to strengthening democracy in Africa.’’
