President Goodluck Jonathan may hand over the reigns of
affairs of the country to the President-elect, Maj.-Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on May 28, about 24 hours
before Buhari's inauguration.
Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki,
disclosed this to State House correspondents on
Wednesday at the end of the Federal Executive Council
meeting presided over by Jonathan.
Akwashiki said Jonathan would hand over to Buhari at a
dinner on the eve of the May 29 Democracy Day.
She said, "By May 28, the President intends to have the
formal handing over done at a dinner so that we can
reserve May 29 for the incoming government.
"By May 28, we are expected to have concluded our own
government and we are welcoming the incoming
government.
"Also you know May 29 is our Democracy Day. So, we have
activities lined up all through that week, showcasing all what
we have achieved and all other things we do normally on
our Democracy Day except that this year is special with the
inauguration of our new President that is coming up on
May 29."
She added that the President had directed all Ministries,
Departments and Agencies to prepare their handover notes
and submit same to the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, on or before April 20.
She said it was Anyim's responsibility to compile the notes
which will form Jonathan's handover document to his
successor.
She further said while the valedictory FEC meeting would
hold on May 20, everything that requires the President's
approval must be presented to him latest on May 13 so that
the incoming government would not accuse him of rushing
projects.
The minister added that Jonathan had directed MDAs to
brief him on inherited projects and the ones initiated by his
administration under their jurisdiction.
She said the briefings were expected to include the status
of the projects and levels of implementation.
The minister added, "The President emphasised on the
need for all MDAs to submit their handing over notes to the
Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation
by 20th of this month, that is next Monday. So we are going
to be very busy this weekend putting our handing over
notes together.
"The President also emphasised that he would require
another little briefing from all MDAs to indicate inherited
projects, how far they have been executed and initiated
projects by his administration and the level of completion,
whether completed, ongoing or abandoned."
She said the present administration was doing everything
possible to ensure smooth transition, adding that Vice
President Namadi Sambo is heading the government's
transition committee while Anyim is heading the
inauguration committee.
Akwashiki however said notwithstanding the transition
programme, governance had not stopped in the country.
"That is not to say that governance has stopped, of course
we are in government until the day the President-elect takes
his oath of office," she explained.
Meanwhile, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani
Alison-Madueke; and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, were among a few ministers who did not
attend the Wednesday meeting.
The meeting was the first one held after the March 28
presidential election which Jonathan lost to Buhari.
Before the President arrived the venue, some ministers,
especially the core politicians among them used the
opportunity to review the polls and their performances in
their various states.
They formed small groups to take stock zone-by-zone.
Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Jelili Adesiyan; Minister of
State II, Foreign Affairs, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro;
Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke
Akinjide; and the Minister of State, Works, Dayo Adeyeye,
were seen engrossed in discussion on the Peoples
Democratic Party's performance in the South West while
awaiting Jonathan's arrival at the venue.
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