Buhari to get Jonathan’s handover notes May 28

Council of State okays transition programme
KEY DATES IN THE TRANSITION
•May 22                               •May 24                                       •May 28                                                                     •Tour of Villa •Handover •Dinner
Jumat prayer                Sunday service           •Tour of Villa •Handover •Dinner                         Inauguration
President Goodluck Jonathan will on May 28 lead President-elect Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on a tour of the Presidential Villa.
Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam yesterday broke the news to State House correspondents at the end of the Council of State meeting in Abuja.
He briefed journalists alongside Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu.
According to him, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki, briefed the Council on the war against Boko Haram, assuring all that the incoming government will have  less to do on insecurity.
Aliyu said President Jonathan will give the handover notes to the President-elect on May 28. A dinner will be held on the same day.
The inauguration of the new government, he said, will hold on May 29.
According to Aliyu, many African and world leaders will attend the inauguration.
Suswam said: “On 28th, President Jonathan will conduct Gen. Buhari and the Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, round the Villa .”
He said the council decided on a template to be followed during transition in Nigeria as this is the first time a ruling party is handing over to an opposition party.
His words: “We have never had it. This is the first time one is going to be developed, so that there is no speculation as to what needs to be done as everything will be in a template. If there is a transition –whether it is from the same party to the same party or from one party to another – it is the same template.”
“You will recall that we have never had a template in which to follow and how we go about our transition but what is going to happen this time around is going to be permanent.”
On security, Suswam said: “The National Security Adviser did a very comprehensive briefing on the security situation in the country, among which was the issue of Boko Haram, successes  recorded so far, which are known to all Nigerians.
“But he did mention that it took a while because Nigeria, after the civil war, relaxed. There were no serious challenging security issues in the country  and so when Boko Haram emerged, it was a new phenomenon. The military and security agencies could not cope with it because nobody anticipated it.”
According to him, the NSA explained that it took time to tackle Boko Haram as Nigeria tried to get the collaboration of some surrounding African countries which Nigeria had never had or shared security intelligence with.
He said: “But now all of them are on board and it becomes easier for us to witness what we have witnessed, where we have Cameroon, Chad, Sudan and even Mali collaborating with Nigeria in order to fight this insurgency because they are also affected.”
The clashes between herdsmen and farmers  were also addressed.
Suswam said: “Actually, the report that was presented by the Economic Council under my chairmanship regarding the issues of grazing and what the Federal Government needs to do in order to address that will be presented to the incoming president so that he will act on it, since there is no time for the administration to do that.”
“But on the whole, the summary of what the NSA presented to council was to say that Nigeria is now better prepared than it was three years back in fighting any form of insurgency because outside the immediate surrounding countries, the international community had also keyed in to give serious assistance.
“So, moving forward is not going to be like what happened before where these insurgents had a field day, where our military were put in a bad light. Our military is well equipped now; there is better training for them to cope with terrorism.”
“So Nigeria is fully ready as a country to fight any insurgency moving forward. But that the incoming administration will pick up from the solid foundation that has been laid in addressing security challenges. There is a new way of doing things and he believes that the incoming administration will have less problems than the outgoing administration.”
The NSA, said Suswam assured the Council of State that the enclave of Boko Haram, Sambisa forest, will be properly combed and anihiliated before May 29 .
“And that will at least put paid to the  incessant guerilla style attacks that have been raging in the past.”
The governor spoke of a document on what to be done to reduce the Fulani herdsmen / farmers clashes, which has resulted in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Niger, Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa.
On the transition, Aliyu said: “One is inauguration, the formality of the new president taking over. Technically, the 29th is for the man taking over. For handing over documents, you don’t wait till that 29th because after the inauguration the transition committee may continue.”
“If you recall, when President Jonathan came on board, he inaugurated the Gen. (Theophilus) Danjuma Committee to look at all the documents that were handed over to them and make recommendations. So it is a continous thing.”
“The handing over of documents from the outgoing President to the incoming President-elect will take place on the 28th and the inauguration on the 29.”
Continuing, he said: “Every Ministry, department and agency that has worked for government, including all the funds that have been collected, how they have been utilised and the assets and the liabilities of government will all be put together in documents and be handed over to the incoming government. Officially, the government will be handed over on the 28th of May.”
“The inauguration is on the 29th, as you know the committees have concluded their arrangements. Invitations have been sent out to all the presidents of African countries,  including presidents and prime ministers of the G8, including multilateral heads, like the United Nations, Commonwealth, ECOWAS, African Union. We expect a beautiful ceremony on the 29th.”
Reeling out the programme, Aliyu said: “22nd is Jumat prayer, 24th will be Sunday service, 28th will be handing over as well as dinner and 29th inauguration, a lunch and a gala night.”
He also disclosed that the meeting was a  valedictory council meeting for President Goodluck Jonathan.
Aliyu said: “A thank you and gratitude  motion was moved by Gen. Yakubu Gowon, reiterating all the beautiful things that have happened in the Council of State and thanking Mr. President and all the members of Council for their contribution to the development and unity of Nigeria.”
“Particularly, the responses of both President Goodluck Jonathan and the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; President Goodluck Jonathan in conceding defeat and the magnanimity of Gen. Buhari, which set the tone for the peaceful and unifying forces that came into Nigeria.”
“That today you can hardly notice the tension that was there before the elections  and we hope that this convention and this tradition that we have established will continue in our subsequent elections. That those people defeated will accept and those elected will be magnanimous in victory,” Aliyu said.