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
President- elect 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.