Buhari has approved the establishment of a Presidential Transition Council, for facilitating and managing the 2023 transition programme for the May 29 handover.
By Emma Ogbuehi
In apparent bid to convince Nigerians on his intention to leave office at the expiration of his term on May 29, the President, Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of a Presidential Transition Council, for facilitating and managing the 2023 transition programme, for the May 29 handover.
The constitution of the Council comes amidst speculations in some quarters on the government nursing a hidden agenda. A senior presidency official told our reporter that that the move is to convince Nigerians the president has no agenda of staying a minute beyond the handover date.
The President has also signed the Executive Order No. 14 of 2023 on the Facilitation and Management of the Presidential Transitions.
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Members of the Committee are:
i. Secretary to the Government of the Federation – Chairman
ii. Head of the Civil Service of the Federation
iii. Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice
iv. Permanent Secretaries from the following Ministries and Offices:
a. Defence
b. Interior
c. Finance, Budget and National Planning
d. Foreign Affairs
e. Information and Culture
f. Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA)
g. Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs
h. Cabinet Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF)
i. General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF)
j. Economic and Political Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF)
k. State House
v. National Security Adviser
vi. Chief of Defence Staff
vii. Inspector-General of Police
viii. Director General, National Intelligence Agency
ix. Director General, State Security Services
x. Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria; and
xi. Two representatives, to be nominated by the President-elect
According to a release signed by Willie Bassey, Director, Information, for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the Transition Council will be inaugurated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 12 noon at the Conference Hall of the SGF.
Members are expected to attend the inauguration in person.
A key feature of the Presidential Executive Order No. 14 of 2023 is the institutionalization of a legal framework that would enable a seamless transition of power from one Presidential Administration to another which is part of President Buhari’s legacy.