Nigerian News

Buhari not planning to stay in office beyond May 29 – Boss Mustapha

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Boss Mustapha has said that President Muhammadu Buhari won’t stay in office after his tenure officially ends.

He gave the assurance to Nigerians while speaking at a meeting of the Presidential Transition Committee on Tuesday.

Mustapha stressed that Buhari has no intention of spending an extra day in office after May 29, which is Inauguration Day.

According to the SGF, despite litigation from the presidential election, the president’s office is still putting efforts in place to ensure that the transition is not truncated.

He also said preparations are on to ensure that Buhari hands over power to the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu peacefully and formally.

He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari is not spending a day extra after May 29 to hand over power to whoever has been declared by INEC.

“The court processes will continue and we are doing everything to ensure that the transition process is not truncated; the federal government has issued a statement to that effect.

“The transition process is on course and all efforts are being made to ensure that it is smooth and on May 29, there will be a peaceful, formal transfer of power to the President-Elect.”

Similarly, the Presidency denied reports attributed to President Muhammadu Buhari where he purportedly said he is unwilling to hand over to the President-elect, Bola Tinubu at the end of his tenure on May 29.

A statement on Friday by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu also condemned the ‘fake news brigade’ responsible for the misinformation.

He went on to stress that the All Progressives Congress-led federal government is already in transition phase.

The statement read; “The Presidency wishes to denounce as outrageous and fake, and condemns the fake news brigade for attributing a false quote to President Muhammadu Buhari and circulating it.

“How can you vigorously campaign for somebody, vote for him and then say you won’t hand over to him? This beggars belief.”

Shehu described the premise presented by an online medium as “pretty pathetic” adding that its ownership is “politically partisan in today’s politics, in fact a loser in the presidential election”.

He added; “The government is already in transition phase. The Transition Committee, made up of representatives of the outgoing administration and the incoming one is meeting on an almost daily basis planning the handover to the Tinubu/Shettima administration.

“Thirteen committees as offshoots of the main committee, some, to arrange military drills and pulling out of President Buhari, are either all at work or soon to be. So far, everything is going very well and there is no indication of any hitches.

Shehu noted that Buhari is eager to return home to enjoy his retirement and the Daura community has begun their preparations to receive their son back after the “successful administration of the country for two terms of eight years.”