…President-elect’s team have been incorporated into Presidential Transition Council -SGF

By Ime Silas

Amidst rumours of plans to stall the swearing-in on May 29 of the President-elect; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Vice President-elect; Shettima, the Presidential Transition Council (PTC) has reassured Nigerians that the transition shall be done successfully.

The PTC which is headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); Boss Mustapha, while making this known yesterday in Abuja explained that it had incorporated the President-elect’s team into Transition Council in order to ensure a smooth swearing-in ceremony.

Boss Mustapha during a Press Briefing by the Council said inclusion of Tinubu’s team was in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari which is contained in Executive Order 14 as was signed by Mr. President on February 7, 2023.

The text of the SGF’s Media Briefing reads:

I welcome you to the first interface between the Presidential Transition Council(PTC) and the Media since its constitution by  the President, Muhammadu Buhari, under  Executive Order 14 which was signed on February 7, 2023. 

2. This process of interface is necessary so as to keep Nigerians abreast of developments, build inclusiveness and lay a solid foundation for peaceful transition of power in our country. 

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3. The Presidential Transition Council which was inaugurated on 14th February 2023  is made up of 24 members which includes two persons from the President-Elect’s team. After the declaration of  His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President-Elect, the PTC requested him to  nominate his representatives on the council as provided in the Executive Order. The President-elect nominated His Excellency Atiku Bagudu, the Governor of Kebbi state and Chief Olawale Edun both of whom have since joined the process actively.

4. Since the inauguration, the Council has met four times with the 5th holding today. 

5.  To ensure a smooth transition process and make the work more efficient, the PTC broke into 3 committees;

6.  The first of these is Inauguration Committee which is responsible for organizing the swearing–in and the inaugural parade; working out the details Programmes and other logistics necessary for the successful inauguration ceremonies.

7. This committee is headed by the SGF with 15 members and is working through 13 sub-committees facilitate effective planning  and execution of the Inauguration activities. These sub-committees are; 

Media and Publicity; Church Service; Juma’at Service; Protocol and Invitations; Transport and Logistics; The Inauguration Lecture; Ceremonial Parade; Venues and Swearing in; Medical; Inauguration Dinner/Gala Night; Post Inauguration Luncheon; Accommodation and Children’s Day Celebration

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8.  The President-Elect has also been requested to nominate 13 persons that will work across the 13 sub-committees. The sub-committees have been working round the clock to ensure that all preparations are in place for a smooth inauguration ceremony. 

9.  The second committee is the Transition Documents Committee which is headed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The committee is responsible for compiling all policy, programmes and projects of this administration in the form of a compendium that focuses on this government’s nine (9) priority areas. It is also in charge of ensuring the preparation of sectoral briefs and handover notes of the current administration for the in-coming administration. The Committee is working assiduously to finalize the compilation of these documents.

10.  The third committee is the Facilities, Security and Intelligence Committee. The duty of this committee is to organise necessary facilities, including furnished office and personnel for the President-and Vice-President-Elect and their transition team; Provision of security for the President and Vice-President Elect; Provision of covert and overt security before, during and after the 2023 Presidential Inauguration including venues of events, hotels, airports, entry points, roads and general surveillance of FCT. This committee is headed by the National Security Adviser (NSA). 

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11.  The Committee has been active and the refurbishment of offices for the President and Vice-President Elect has been completed. The facility at the Defence House is ready. Security personnel of the Department of State Service and the Nigerian Police Force have also been deployed to the President and Vice-President Elect.

12. Protocol officers have also been assigned to both the President and Vice President-Elect from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Intelligence Agency.

13. As part of Transition, four members of the President-Elect’s team will be joining the Federal Government delegation to the Spring meeting of the World bank.

14. The Transition process is on course and all efforts are being made to ensure that it is smooth and on May 29th, there would be peaceful formal transfer of power to the new President. 

Presidential Transition Council

Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation