ASO ROCK WATCH: Buhari’s vow to hand over to Tinubu. Two other talking points

Last week, the Presidency dismissed reports that President Muhammadu Buhari was unwilling to handover to President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on May 29, as baseless, and false.

Two other stories from the seat of power, Aso Rock Villa, were also dissected under the week in review.

1. Buhari’s vow to handover to Tinubu

On March 24, the Presidency said that Buhari was eager to handover to Tinubu, and that his government was already in transition phase.

“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 a daily basis to plan the handover to the Tinubu/Shettima administration,” a statement issued by Buhari’s Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, read.

Shehu’s statement serves to assure that Nigeria’s democracy will not be truncated amidst the controversies surrounding the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.

Similarly, it douses the tension and/or talks, in some quarters, about having an interim government that would succeed Buhari when he leaves power.

Buhari’s willingness to handover power to Tinubu, however, is a no-brainer as it is a constitutional responsibility he has to fulfil.

Nonetheless, the remarks from the Presidency sound like a fait accompli as it disregards on-going court processes which could throw a wedge in the way of the transition programme. Nigerians await with baited breath.

Two other talking points

2. As Buhari acknowledges people power

President Buhari, on March 21, declared that the immediate past general elections have shown that Nigerians are beginning to realise the power they have to decide who rules them.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman, Shehu, the President stated this when he spoke at a farewell meeting with the outgoing United States Ambassador, Mary Beth Leonard, in Abuja.

READ ALSO:ASO ROCK WATCH: Holding brief for tainted 2023 elections. Two other talking points

“People are realising their power. Given the chance of a free and fair vote, nobody can tell them what to do. I am happy that some candidates lost in the election,” he said.

The President’s submission highlights the beauty of democracy. It also confirms the improvement in political participation, and consciousness seen among Nigerians in the last elections.

Needless to add that Buhari’s acknowledgment of perceived shortcomings in the country’s electoral processes shows that a lot more work needs to be done in the area of building strong institutions.

Of course, this will not be unless the democratic journey is founded on rule of law, independence of the judiciary and separation of powers.

3. Buhari’s self-praise on national security

On March 22, President Buhari asserted that his administration had achieved milestones in national security – combating terrorism, armed banditry, separatist tendencies, kidnapping, militancy in the South-South, cyber-security, and crude oil theft.

Buhari stated this while inaugurating the new Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and National Counterterrorism Centre (NCTC) in Abuja.

“I can confidently state here today that we have achieved significant milestones in degrading the major threat and restoring normalcy to most of the hitherto securitised areas in the North-East,” he said, among others.

Buhari’s continuous self-praise on status of national security remains debatable, as objective conditions speak to the contrary.

Indeed, his disposition mirrors his struggle to convince Nigerians that his abysmal performance on national security as painted in the media is far from the truth.

For a fact, the challenges remain well established and the Buhari administration may well be remembered for its lackluster performance in securing lives and properties.

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