Jonathan, Buhari Clash Over Transition Committee Terms Of Reference

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Wednesday, April 29th, 2015

*As Buhari Inaugurates 19-Member Committee Transition Committee

Following the release of terms of reference by the President – Elect, General Buhari for his 19-member transition committee, the Federal Government has indicated it has picked some holes in the task to be executed by the committee, hence warned the opposition from running another government.

Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman made FG’s anger public Wednesday, after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The Minister who is equally the chairman of the Technical Sub-committee of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s transition committee, pointed out that FEC cautioned the incoming administration from running a parallel government, noting that the outgoing President’s gentle nature should not be mistaken for weakness.

Buhari Inaugurates 19-Member Transition

Meanwhile, the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rted) has inaugurated a 19-member Transition Committee to liaise with the Federal Government’s to ensure a smooth transition.

The opposition APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement, issued Wednesday in Abuja indicated that the terms of reference of the committee included developing a clear framework for liaison with the out-going Administration for purposes of a smooth hand-over/take-over and to receive hand-over documents from Ministries, Departments and Agencies and itemize the most important or most urgent issues confronting the in-coming government.

Alhaji Mohammed added that the committee was also saddled with the task of 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.

Similarly, the committee the statement pointed out was expected to undertake a preliminary assessment of the security challenges facing the country and the counter-insurgency measures taken by the government; the counter policy measures being implemented in the Niger Delta to deal with unrest and major economic crimes in the area, especially, 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 suggesting “quick fixes” which will result in tangible, visible and practical measures so that change would be felt after 30 days, after 100 days, after 6 months of the Administration taking office as well as to make any other observations which in view of the Committee would be helpful to the transition and take-off of the new Administration.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja on Wednesday, Gen. Buhari charged the committee to ”assess the information provided to you and advise” on its quality and accuracy, adding that it was a simple matter that the committee members must have the right information if they were to shape appropriate policy decisions.

”Needless to repeat, that your Committee – and indeed our Government – are not on a witch-hunt or engaged in fault-finding. We want the facts and nothing but the facts. What has been done cannot be undone. Our job is to learn from the mistakes of the past and attempt to avoid similar” Said the President – Elect.

Gen. Buhari also hailed the calibre of the committee’s membership, stating they represented some of the best Nigeria could offer. He described the committee chairman, Malam Ahmed Joda, as one of the few surviving links between First Republic civil service to the present day, a man whose versatility includes farming, industry and 21st Century IT and one of Nigerian’s precious assets.

The committee has two weeks to conclude its work.

Members of the committee are as follows:

1. Mal. Ahmed Joda – Chairman

2. Dr Doyin Salami – Vice-Chairman

3. Mr Boss Mustapha

4. Mal. Muhammad Hayatuddin

5. Alh. Abubakar Malami SAN

6. Brig. Gen. Lawal Jafaru Isa

7. Sen. Hadi Sirika

8. Sen. Audu Ogbeh

9. Barrister Dalong

10. Mrs Bola Adesola