The Federal Government on Wednesday may have manifested a volte-face in its earlier plan to have President Goodluck Jonathan formally hand over power to the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), on May 28 instead of the May 29 Democracy Day.
The matter became a subject of controversy when Minister of Information, Patricia Akwashiki, announced Jonathan’s intention to formerly hand over at a dinner on May 28 so that the administration can reserve May 29 for the incoming government. Some prominent lawyers argued that the plan would lead to a vacuum in the leadership of the country as Buhari will be officially inaugurated hours after the official handover.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by Jonathan, the minister denied ever telling reporters that the President would hand over to the President-elect on May 28
The Minister explained that what she said was that the process of preparing handover notes would be completed by May 28, asserting that President Jonathan will not hand over power until May 29.
According to her, “In the council today, the discussion was still centered on transition.
“I have to make a little clarification because some people thought I said May 28 will be handover date. I never said that.
“I said May 28 will be the last day that we will have our handing over briefs by ministries and parastatals. I said from the 28th of this month to that date has been given to departments and ministries to submit their hand over notes.
“I remember somebody asked if there will be no vacuum if there is handover on May 28 and I replied that there will be no handing over on May 28.
“Handing over and inauguration will hold on May 29. The President is not handing over power on May 28; he is handing over power on May 29.
“We have started the transition and it is ongoing. We are submitting our handover notes to the Office of the SGF.
“The President is still the President until May 29 when Gen. Buhari takes his oath of office and resumes as the President of the Federal Republic,” she said.
Fielding question on what informed Tuesday’s sacking of Suleiman Abba from his position as the Inspector-General of Police, Akwashiki said she had no explanation to make since the President reserves the right to appoint and fire his appointees.
“I think it is within the President’s power to appoint and sack and he did what he had to do,” the government spokesperson stated.
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