Why Buhari Delays Forming APC Transition Committee

President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has been shifting the naming of his transition committee 10 days after the incumbent President Goodlcuk Jonathan declared his tem, which caused emerging of fears.

There are concerns in some quarters that the postponement in creating the committee may upset Buhari’s plan to hit the ground running on assumption of power on May 29.

After Buhari overcame Jonathan in the March 28 presidential poll there are high expectations from the president-elect.

The current administration set up its own transition committee on April 13 lead by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

Anyim Pius Anyim, secretary to the Government of the Federation, said that the commission is loaded with the responsibility of getting briefs from the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as well as preparing President Jonathan’s handover speech.

Anyim said the committee would later meet with a transition committee to be nominated by Buhari on May 29 handover.

But since then former military ruler has not named his committee members driving fears of inside rows within the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It was gathered that Buhari may have assembled his transition committee members and may unveil them latest tomorrow.

The party chieftains have been meeting since last week to decide on the structure of the transition committee and zoning of National Assembly leadership positions.

But the APC appears to be fighting to balance competing interests in sharing leadership positions in the National Assembly as disclosed by multiple sources who spoke to Daily Trust.

The rumours circulated that Buhari would name the transition committee when he returned from Kaduna on Monday.

The source said: “We thought the president-elect would have assembled the people that will serve on his transition committee while he was in Daura and Kaduna. 

“When that didn’t happen, we thought he would announce them on Monday when he returned to Abuja or at least last Wednesday during the party caucus meeting. But he didn’t,” the party chieftain said.

But another source in the APC said Buhari didn’t discuss the committee issue during the caucus meeting partly because of the large number of people that attended.

“The meeting was meant for party top leaders such as the president-elect, his deputy Prof. Yemi Osinabjo, party chairman John Oyegun, party leaders Bisi Akande, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar,” he said.

“But over 60 people found their way into the meeting hall, some of whom were not even invited in the first place.

“So, the president-elect didn’t speak about the committee at all. He made general statement thanking and congratulating party chieftains for the poll victory,” the source said.

In an interview with journalists in Daura two weeks ago, Buhari said technocrats rather than politicians would be appointed on the transition committee.
Party bigwigs said there is nothing bad in Buhari allowing the party a greater say in these appointments, but added that this now causing unnecessary delays.

“Questions must be asked, evidence must be produced, among others. Thus, time is precious. The government needs to start working after May 29. There is no need for any delay,” other source said.

Meanwhile, the Presidential Inauguration Planning Committee was formed yesterday, April 23.

Timipre Silva, the ex-governor of Bayelsa state and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, will co-chair the committee.