FG Reaffirms May 29 As Hand Over Date

The Federal Government on Wednesday changed its mind on the earlier
plan for President Goodluck Jonathan to formally handover power to the
President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) on May 28 as against
the May 29 Democracy Day.

Minister of Information, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, had last week
said Jonathan intended to have the formal handing over done at a
dinner on May 28 so that the administration can reserve May 29 for the
incoming government.

That announcement generated controversy with some prominent lawyers
arguing that the plan would lead to a vacuum in the leadership of the
country till when Buhari is inaugurated 24 hours after the handing
over.

But while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly
Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Jonathan on
Wednesday, Akwashiki recanted.

The minister, who said the meeting again centered on the transition
programme, denied ever telling reporters that the President would
handover to the President-elect on May 28.

She claimed that what she said was that the process of preparing
handover notes would be completed by May 28.

She explained that Jonathan will not hand over power until May 29.

She said, "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."

When asked to disclose the reason behind the Tuesday sacking of Mr.
Suleiman Abba as the Inspector-General of Police, Akwashiki said she
had no explanation to make because the President had 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," she said.
--PUNCH