FG plotting to sabotage handover, APC alleges

The All Progressives Congress on Thursday accused the Goodluck Jonathan administration of plotting to hinder a smooth handover of power on May 29.

It alleged that it was becoming apparent that the outgoing government would not fully cooperate with the incoming government of Muhammadu Buhari, despite its public posturing in that regard.

The party, in a statement   by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, described as an act of hostility, the “unnecessary vituperation against the incoming Buhari administration by the Jonathan government.”

It said the “unnecessary vituperation’’ was   not just because of the terms of reference of the Buhari transition committee, but a part of an orchestrated plot to sabotage the incoming government.

The APC therefore rejected what it referred to as the continued blackmail by the government and wondered whether the concession of defeat by the President to Buhari had now become a shield for all its wrongdoings.

It said, “We are sick and tired of being blackmailed by the Jonathanians. Gen. Buhari won the March 28 presidential election fair and square, having satisfied both constitutional and other statutory requirements.

“We have no apology for our victory and the concession of defeat – while it may have increased the political stock of   President Jonathan – has by no means diminished the historic and emphatic victory of Gen. Buhari and the APC.”

The APC said that while the outgoing government had earlier issued a memo to all ministries, departments and agencies to make sure their handover notes were ready by April 20, it   reversed itself and said that the handover notes would not be ready until May 14.

The   statement added, ‘’With the new date, the Buhari transition committee will have little or no time to take a thorough look at the handover notes or seek clarification on knotty issues, effectively handing it (Buhari transition committee) a fait accompli as far as the handover notes are concerned.

“This does not augur well for a smooth transition and gives the impression that the outgoing administration is trying to hide something. By its dilly-dallying on the date for the readiness of the handover notes from the MDAs, the administration’s posturing that it is ready to hand over has been exposed as nothing but a smokescreen.”

The party also described as “illogical and strange,” the claim by the government that the President-elect was trying to set up a parallel government simply because he had set up his own transition committee and given it terms of reference.

The APC wondered how   those terms of reference had become the concern of the outgoing Federal Executive Council.

It added, ‘‘In case the Federal Executive Council has forgotten, Gen.   Buhari   was declared the winner of the March 28   election by the Independent National Electoral Commission.   Gen.   Buhari is therefore today the President-elect and the APC the incoming government. It is therefore illogical to accuse the President-elect and the incoming government of setting up a parallel government.

‘‘It is either the outgoing FEC has something to hide or is bent on sabotaging the incoming government. There can be no other reasons for the misplaced aggression that was exhibited in that ill-intentioned, unprovoked and vitriolic statement from the Jonathan government.’’

The party said that in order to put the matter beyond doubt, it had decided to publish in full, the terms of reference in question so that Nigerians can judge for themselves whether there is anything suggestive of intimidation or running a parallel government in them.

APC warned the Jonathanians not to overstretch the goodwill which the President had earned by his gracious concession even before INEC officially declared Buhari as president-elect.

‘‘Are they now saying that because the President conceded defeat, the incoming administration can no longer ask legitimate questions or seek clarifications that may arise from the handover notes? the party asked.

It gave the terms of reference for the Buhari transition committee as follows:

• To develop a clear framework for liaison with the outgoing administration for purposes of a smooth handover/take-over.
• To receive handover documents from Ministries, Departments and Agencies and itemise the most important or most urgent issues confronting the incoming government.
• To review and make preliminary assessment of the balance sheet of government with particular emphasis on:

(a). The status of assets and liabilities of government.

(b). Cash flow position of the government.

(c). Quantum of public domestic and external debts of government and their deployment.

(d). Government’s outstanding contractual obligations and its ability to meet such obligations.

(e). Status of implementation of capital projects.

• Undertake a preliminary assessment of the security challenges facing the country and the:

(a). Counter-insurgency measures taken by the government thus far.

(b). Counter policy measures being implemented in the Niger Delta to deal with unrest and major economic crimes in the area. In particular, the status of the amnesty programme.

(c). Readiness of the Police and other national security and intelligence agencies in addressing threats to law and order.

• Provide a brief overview of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Nigerian Communications Commission, the Nigeria Customs Service   and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
• Suggest “quick fixes” which will result in tangible, visible and practical measures so that CHANGE will be seen after 30 days; after 100 days and after six months of the administration taking office.
• Make any other observations which in view of the committee would be helpful to the transition and take-off of the new administration.

Efforts made to get the Presidency’s reaction to the claim by the APC that the Jonathan government was planning to hinder smooth handover of power on May 29 did not yield any positive result.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, could not be reached as of 9pm when   this report was filed.