Advocates of interim national government appear’s abortive as President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday set the stage for his exit from office on May 29, 2023 after his two terms of eight years.
The president announced a transition council headed by the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, to prepare his handover documents.
Buhari’s action, to political expert, has rule out fears that the February 25 presidential election may not hold, which has compelled some prominent Nigerians to call for the setting up of an interim national government to run for six months.
Amid the champions of the interim government is the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, who had, last April, advised the federal government to postpone the 2023 elections to allow a six-month interim government after Buhari’s tenure.
He had argued that a new constitution to address insecurity, economic, political and other ills bedeviling the nation should be evolved within the period.
And while the Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, also said the frustration that Nigerians are going through occasioned the call for an interim government, the group, nonetheless, declared that it did not support the cancellation or postponement of the scheduled elections.
However, in the build-up to the election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, while insisting that the February 25, 2023 presidential election date is sacrosanct, stressed that any plot to have an interim national government is a dead agenda because such does not have any place whatsoever in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as well as in Nigeria’s democratic practice.
PDP presidential candidate Alhahji Atiku Abubakar, speaking through this campaign council, accused the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign of pushing for the interim arrangement and asked it to perish contemplations or discussions of setting up an Interim National Government.
On its part, the All Progressives Congress (APC) described as blatantly false and reckless media reports suggesting that it is spearheading the postponement of the 2023 general election
According to the ruling party, the shadowy media reports which have generated needless anxiety and speculations is fake news.
And yesterday, Buhari approved the establishment of a Presidential Transition Council to facilitate and manage the 2023 transition to a new democratically elevated administration.
Apart from the SGF, other members of the committee are the head of the Civil Service of the Federation, solicitor-general of the federation and permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice.
Others are permanent secretaries from the following ministries and offices: Defence, Interior, Finance, Budget and National Planning, Foreign Affairs, Information and Culture, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA),Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Cabinet Affairs Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), General Services Office, Economic and Political Affairs Office, State House, National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police.
There are also the directors-general of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Department of State Services (SSS), chief registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and two representatives to be nominated by the president-elect.
According to a statement issued by the media office of the SGF, the Transition Council will be inaugurated by Mustapha on Tuesday, 14th February, 2023.
Also, the president has signed the Executive Order No. 14 of 2023 on the Facilitation and Management of the Presidential Transitions.
A key feature of the Presidential Executive Order No. 14 of 2023 is the institutionalisation 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.
