Jonathan will handover on May 29, says FG

Jonathan will handover on May 29, says FG

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.