Jonathan angry as Buhari seeks reports on agencies

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday scolded  the incoming Muhammadu Buhari administration, accusing it of trying to set up a parallel government.

Dr. Jonathan’s anger was obviously over the terms of reference of the transition committee set up by Gen. Buhari. He told the committee to give him an overview of some government agencies, such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Customs and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The All Progressives Congress (APC), The Nation learnt last night, will reply the Presidential comments today.

Minister of National Planning Suleiman Abubakar, who briefed State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Dr. Jonathan, insisted that Jonathan is still in charge till 29th of May, 2015.

Speaking as a member of the Transition Committee, he said that the Jonathan administration was not comfortable with some terms of reference of the incoming government’s transition committee, which tend to create a parallel government.

To this end, he said that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) have been directed to follow the terms of reference of the present government and not those of the incoming administration.

He also claimed that the magnanimity of President Jonathan does not amount to cowardice.

The Minister also urged members of the Council to continue to do their work without any intimidation.

He said: “I’m speaking as member and chairman of sub-committee of transition committee. Council discussed the state of the transition programme and as chairman of sub-committee of transition committee, we were asked to update council on the progress report.”

“We did receive from in-coming government the transition committee some terms of reference which we looked at critically. And ýcouncil did agree that the Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan remains the current government of this country.”

“The incoming government should avoid creating a parallel government while the government is still on. We take exceptions to some utterances, to some of the terms of reference that look as if the current government is being stampeded or intimidated.”

Continuing, he said: “Council frowned at ýmost of the statements, most of the provisions and council members are advised to work in line with the terms of reference of the current government.”

“Council members are also told that the terms of reference as formatted by our transition committee should be strictly complied with.”

“When the incoming government takes over government they can come out with their programmes, they can come out with their own ýagenda, they can decide to come out with policies with the way they feel like.”

“This government remains resolute to the various programmes and projects ýit is pursuing and the government will continue to do that until the morning of May 29th.”

Abubakar said that the Council also enjoined members to be steadfast and come out with programmes, projects to be commissioned, and those that need to be inspected.

The Minister also said that they were asked to continue to work as government and perform their work without intimidation.

He said: “Government, especially civil servants, directors, directors-general should see this government as the current government and not to do anything that will rock the boat so as not to put this country in a bad light. These are issues before the transition committee, these are are issues that were raised on the transition programme.”

“The magnanimity of Mr. President should not be taken to be cowardice and that is why Mr. President and indeed council members enjoined Nigerian people to see the olive branch extended to Nigerians and international community as a way of keeping this country intact, as a way of ensuring peace in Nigeria and, as such, whatever the outcome of the election, what is important is Nigeria’s national interest.”

“And that national interest should be protected, enhanced and promoted at whatever level we are. These are issues that bother on transition programme discussed in council.”

But Abubakar noted that the chairman of the incoming transition committee, Mallam Ahmed Joda, had a very robust discussion with the chairman of the transition committee of the current government, Vice President Namadi Sambo, on Tuesday.

“They are working together as a family and I want to believe for the good of this country things will work,” he said

He said that as at 28th April, almost all the MDAs that ýwere advised to submit briefs, handing over notes have compiled, except for one or two ministries.

Said the minister: “The committee is having on ground right now two versions of presentations; we have the executive summaries of all the MDAs handover notes ýand the entire handover notes from almost all the MDAs.”

“The transition process is on course in terms of handover notes and briefs; we have covered almost 80 per cent of our assignments,” he said.