Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio will lead a five-member Nigerian delegation to the Vatican City for the funeral of Pope Francis, scheduled for Saturday.
This was disclosed in an official statement released on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy.
According to the statement, President Tinubu has approved the delegation to represent Nigeria at the solemn ceremony, paying respects to the late Pontiff and conveying the nation’s condolences.
Members of the delegation include Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese; and Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama of the Abuja Diocese.
The delegation is also tasked with delivering a formal letter of condolence from President Tinubu to the Acting Head of the Vatican, expressing Nigeria’s heartfelt sympathy over the Pope’s demise.