Jonathan of frustrating smooth transition of power ---APC
(Nigeria) The All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused
the Goodluck Jonathan administration of plotting to hinder a smooth handover of
power on May 29 as it was becoming apparent that the administration will not fully
cooperate with the incoming government, despite its public posturing in that
regard.
APC in a statement in Abuja on Thursday by its National
Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described as an act of hostility and
a patently-misplaced aggression the unnecessary vituperation against the
incoming Gen Muhammadu Buhari administration by the Jonathan government,
ostensibly because of the terms of reference of the Buhari Transition Committee
but in reality part of an orchestrated plot to sabotage the transition.
It rejected the continued blackmail by the Jonathan administration
as a result of President Jonathan's concession of defeat, wondering whether the
concession, gracious as it was, has now become a shield for all wrong doings.
''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.”
Justifying its statement that the Jonathan administration is
plotting to hinder a smooth transition of power, the party said while the outgoing
government had earlier issued a memo to all ministries, departments and
agencies to make sure their handover notes are ready by April 20, the same
government has now reversed itself and said the handover notes will not be
ready until May 14.
''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 dillydallying 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,'' it said.
APC described as illogical and strange the claim by the
Jonathan Administration that the President-elect is trying to set up a parallel
government simply because he has set up his own Transition Committee and given
it terms of reference meant to guide the members on the discharge of their
duties as members of that Committee, wondering how on earth those terms of
reference have become the concern of the outgoing Federal Executive Council.
''In case the Federal Executive Council has forgotten, Buhari
of the APC was declared the winner of the March 28, presidential election by INEC. 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 Federal Executive Council 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.
It said that in order to put the matter beyond doubt, the
party has 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 the document.
APC warned the Jonathanians not to overstretch the goodwill
which the President has earned by his gracious concession even before INEC officially
declared Gen. Buhari as the winner of the March 28, Presidential election,
saying while it was momentous, it was not unprecedented in Africa, where power
has changed hands peacefully between the ruling and opposition parties in
several nations.
''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.
''We will not surrender to any blackmail, subtle or
otherwise. We shall ask questions and ask for explanations and clarifications whenever
and wherever we deem such necessary. We cannot run a transparently honest
government or fight corruption if we are prevented from asking legitimate
questions and seeking clarifications from the outgoing government during the
transition process. Let the Jonathan Administration not tie our hands behind
our back just because he conceded defeat after losing an election,'' the party
said.
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