Buhari May Unveil Transition Committee Members This Week
Baring any last minute change in plan, the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) will inaugurate his a 35-member transition committee on Tuesday.
The names of members of the transition committee which is expected to work with a similar committee to be appointed by the out- going administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, will be formally presented to the public at a party event to be presided over by in Abuja.
A party source who asked not to be quoted because he was not authorized to speak on the issue told THISDAY yesterday that the Presidentelect will fly into Abuja on Monday from his Kaduna
home in order to inaugurate the committee.
The source also confirmed earlier report by THISDAY on the appointment of the Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, to lead the transition committee.
On the composition of the transition committee, THISDAY gathered that the list is dominated by technocrats with only a few names selected based on party affiliation.
"It is not about party patronage. We must not toy with this opportunity and as such every effort is being made to ensure that the right calibre of persons are chosen to handle the transition job. Buhari and the party place great importance on the quality and integrity of the recommendations that would come with the committee's work," he said.
APC leadership caucus had met Wednesday and Thursday last week during which it considered the list of transition committee members and made recommendations to the President elect.
According to the source, the party's National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, was in Kaduna on Saturday to meet with Buhari and to intimate him with the recommendations from the NWC.
Buhari had while speaking to Journalists shortly after casting his vote during the governorship election in Daura promised he would forward a list of the transition committee members with terms of reference to the party leadership for scrutiny.
"Personally, I think I have an idea of whom I would like to be in the transition committee. I will appoint knowledgeable and experienced technocrats to study the hand-over notes and make recommendations. They are to be made up of a crop of patriotic Nigerians," he said.
When contacted on phone yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, confirmed that the party had made recommendations on the transition committee and submitted same to Buhari. When asked whether the unveiling of the transition committee will hold on Tuesday, Mohammed said though they will be meeting on sundry issues on Monday, he could not specify what nature it would take.