President-elect, Bola Tinubu has nominated Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu and Wale Edun, a financial expert – who many are touting to play a prominent role in the incoming administration – into the Presidential Transition Council (PTC).
Wale Edun, a former Finance Commissioner in Lagos State, while Tinubu, was governor of the state, has years of experience in the banking sector.
It is also the guess of many that Edun may either take over as the Governor of the Central Bank, or in the alternative, serve as Tinubu’s Finance Minister.
Atiku Bagudu, played a prominent role in the election of Tinubu.
Read also: Tinubu’s cabinet may feature these names
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Boss Mustapha, disclosed that the President-elect, is also expected to nominate 13 other members into the main organising committee, ahead of the May 29 inauguration.
Presidential Transition Council which was inaugurated on February 14, 2023 is made up of 24 members which includes two persons from the President-Elect’s team.
“After the declaration of His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the president-elect, the PTC requested him to nominate his representatives on the council as provided in the Executive Order. The President-elect nominated His Excellency Atiku Bagudu, the Governor of Kebbi State and Chief Olawale Edun both of whom have since joined the process actively,” Mustapha said.
Speaking about the preparations for the inauguration, Mustapha disclosed that the Council has met four times, since its inauguration
“To ensure a smooth transition process and make the work more efficient, the PTC broke into 3 committees,” he said.
“The first of these is Inauguration Committee, which is responsible for organising the swearing–in and the inaugural parade; working out details of the Programmes and other logistics necessary for the successful inauguration ceremonies.
This committee is headed by the SGF with 15 members and is working through 13 sub-committees to facilitate effective planning and execution of the inauguration activities.
He listed the sub-committees created already to include,Media and Publicity; Church Service; Juma’at Service; Protocol and Invitations; Transport and Logistics; The Inauguration Lecture; Ceremonial Parade; Venues and Swearing in; Medical; Inauguration Dinner/Gala Night; Post Inauguration Luncheon; Accommodation and Children’s Day Celebration.
He disclosed that the president-elect has also been requested to nominate 13 persons that will work across the 13 sub-committees.
The sub-committees have been working round the clock to ensure that all preparations are in place for a smooth inauguration ceremony.
The second committee is the Transition Documents Committee which is headed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The committee is responsible for compiling all policy, programmes and projects of this administration in the form of a compendium that focuses on this government’s nine priority areas. It is also in charge of ensuring the preparation of sectoral briefs and handover notes of the current administration for the in-coming administration. The Committee is working assiduously to finalize the compilation of these documents.
The Council has also set up the committee on Facilities, Security and Intelligence Committee.
“The duty of this committee is to organise necessary facilities, including furnished office and personnel for the President-and Vice-President-Elect and their transition team; Provision of security for the President and Vice-President Elect; Provision of covert and overt security before, during and after the 2023 Presidential Inauguration including venues of events, hotels, airports, entry points, roads and general surveillance of FCT. This committee is headed by the National Security Adviser (NSA)”‘ he said.
The Committee has been active and the refurbishment of offices for the President and Vice-President-elect have been completed.
He disclosed that the facility at the Defence House is ready, while Security personnel of the Department of State Service and the Nigerian Police Force have also been deployed to the President-elect and Vice-President-elect.
“Protocol officers have also been assigned to both the President and Vice President-Elect from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Intelligence Agency.
“As part of Transition, four members of the President-Elect’s team will be joining the Federal Government delegation to the Spring meeting of the World bank.
“The Transition process is on course and all efforts are being made to ensure that it is smooth and on May 29th, there would be peaceful formal transfer of power to the new President.
He assured that the ongoing Court cases will not impact on the activities of the Council, even as he assured that no amount of threats can stop the inauguration on May 29.
“ We have put in place all necessary arrangements to ensure a smooth and successful transition from the current administration to the next one” he said.
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