Thirty days to the official handover of government to president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, the Federal Government has warned the incoming government and the All Progressives Congress (APC) against forming a parallel government as the incumbent president is still in charge.
It also stated that the magnanimity of the president should not be taken for cowardice.
Briefing journalists after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, Abubakar Suleiman, the national planning minister, who spoke as a member and chairman of a sub-committee of the transition committee, said council took time to look at some terms of reference given by the transition committee of the incoming government, frowning at some utterances to some of the terms, indicating that the incumbent government was being stampeded.
“We did receive from the in-coming government’s transition committee some terms of reference which we looked at critically. And council did agree that the administration of 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.
“We take exceptions to some utterances to some of the terms of reference that look as if the current government is being stampeded or intimidated.
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“The magnanimity of Mr. President should not be taken to mean 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 is what is important is Nigeria’s national interest. And that national interest should be protected, enhanced and promoted at whatever level we are.
“Council frowned at most of the statements and most of the provisions”, he said, adding that 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 formulated 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 stated that the incumbent government remains resolute to the various programmes and projects it is pursuing and the government will continue to do that until the morning of May 29.
At council, the president also enjoined ministers to come out with programmes, projects to be commissioned, or inspected, adding that council members should work as a government and perform their work without intimidation.
“Government, especially civil servants, directors, directors general 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”, Suleiman added.
The All Progressives Congress, party of the president-elect, had threatened to probe the outgoing administration of President Jonathan over some “last-minute dubious activities” ahead of the May 29 handover.
The party had alleged that the outgoing administration had been looting the nation’s resources, as well as hurriedly recruiting into the public service and privatising key financial institutions.
The APC, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed, on Sunday, said such actions would have serious repercussions after May 29.
The party had also said while the Jonathan administration remains in charge until the midnight of May 28, it was important for the outgoing administration not to create any more problems for the incoming government or tie the new government’s hands through some of its alleged suspicious actions.
“For example, the National Council on Privatisation, which is headed by the vice president, has just approved the financial bid opening for transaction advisers for the privatisation of the three development finance institutions in the country – the Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry and Nigeria Commodity Exchange. The question is: what is the rationale for rushing this exercise with just weeks left for this administration?” Mohammed had said in a statement.
Meanwhile, President Jonathan shortly before the commencement of council meeting swore in two commissioners in the Federal Character and Federal Civil Service Commissions, respectively. The commissioners are Halilu Shinkafi and Toye Olufuntoye.
