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President Goodluck
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Thirty days to the official handover of the reins of power to
the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian government has warned the
incoming administration and the All Progressive Congress (APC) against forming
a parallel government as incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan remains in
charge till May 29.
The government said the
“magnanimity” of President Jonathan should not be taken for cowardice.
The warning came hours
after President-elect Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated a 19-man committee to partner with the outgoing
administration to ensure a smooth transition.
PREMIUM TIMES reports:
Briefing journalists
after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, the National Planning
Minister, Abubakar Suleiman, who spoke as a member and chairman of a
sub-committee of the transition committee, said the government was concerned
about some terms of reference given the transition committee of the incoming
government.
Mr. Suleiman said the
council was also concerned that some comments made by members of the APC
leadership amounted to “stampeding” the incumbent administration.
“We did receive from
(the) in-coming government’s transition committee and some (of its) terms of
reference which we looked at critically. And council did agreed that the
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan remains the current government of this country. The
incoming government should avoid creating a parallel government while the
government is still on,” Mr. Suleiman said.
“We take exceptions to
some of the terms of reference that look as if the current government is being
stampeded or intimidated.”
He said Mr. Jonathan’s
magnanimity should not be taken for granted.
“The magnanimity of Mr.
President should not be taken to be cowardice and that is why Mr. President and
indeed council members enjoined Nigerian people to see the olive branch
extended to Nigerians and international community as a way of keeping this
country intact, as a way of ensuring peace in Nigeria and as such whatever the
outcome of the election, what is important is Nigeria’s national interest. And
that national interest should be protected, enhanced and promoted at whatever
level we are.
He said council members
have been advised to work in line with the terms of reference of the current
government”.
“Council members also
agreed that the terms of reference as formatted by our transition committee
should be strictly complied with.
“When the incoming
government takes over government they can come out with their programmes, they
can come out with their own agenda, they can decide to come out with policies
with the way they feel like,” he said.
He said the incumbent
government remains committed to the various programmes and projects it is
pursuing and the government will continue to do that until the morning of May
29.
He said President
Jonathan also enjoined ministers to come out with programmes, projects to be
commissioned, or inspected, and that ministers of government should work as a
government and perform their work without intimidation.
“Government especially
civil servants, directors, director generals should see this government as the
current government and not do anything that will rock the boat so as not to put
this country in a bad light,” Mr. Suleiman added.
While inaugurating his
party’s transition committee Wednesday, Mr. Buhari had said the team is also
saddled with reviewing and making preliminary assessment of the balance sheet
of government with particular emphasis on the status of assets and liabilities
of government; cash flow position of the government; quantum of public domestic
and external debt of government and their deployment; government’s out-standing
contractual obligations and its ability to meet such obligations and the status
of implementation of capital projects.
He said the committee is
also expected to undertake a preliminary assessment of the security challenges
facing the country and the counter-insurgency measures taken by the government
thus far; the counter policy measures being implemented in the Niger Delta to
deal with unrest and major economic crimes in the area.
The committee will assess
in particular, the status of the Amnesty Programme, the readiness of the Police
and other national security and intelligence agencies in addressing threats to
law and order and provide a brief over-view of CBN, NNPC, NCC, Customs and
FIRS.
Other terms of reference
of the committee include to suggest “quick fixes” which will result in
tangible, visible and practical measures so that “change” will be seen after 30
days, after 100 days, after 6 months of the Administration taking office.
The committee will also
make any other observations which in its view would be helpful to the
transition and take-off of the new Administration.
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