Now That Buhari Has Signed Executive Order No. 14
President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed on his official Twitter handle that he has formally set in motion a transition of power process and the messages read thus:
“I have signed Executive Order No. 14 of 2023 on the Facilitation and Management of Presidential Transitions. The new Executive Order puts in place a legal framework for the seamless transition of power from one Presidential Administration to another”.
He adds, “I have also approved the establishment of a Presidential Transition Council, to be chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, to facilitate and manage the 2023 Presidential Transition Programme”.
President Buhari has left no one in doubt that he is committed to a smooth transition of power from one administration to another. On May 29, he would have handed over power to a succeeding president after the elections scheduled to hold February 25.
We commend him for this unalloyed commitment to a smooth transition even when many critics had thought he would act differently at a time.
Some individuals had doubted the sincerity of the government to relinquish power even as others cited the need for an elongation of the president’s tenure stressing that the spate of insecurity bedeviling the nation was enough reason to halt the election and allow the president to continue.
However, these situations are not embodied in the nation’s laws and indeed the electoral legislation. At a time, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, announced that the level of insecurity across part of the country were a source of concern that could affect the elections. It was soon to recant its position, stressing that the process would go as planned.
We have condemn severally attempts by some unscrupulous Nigerians trying to undermine the electoral process and causing panic by their attacks on INEC facilities in some parts of the country; a situation that affected some critical assets of the commission. It is heart-warming that the INEC has assured that it has been able to put behind it setbacks and ready for the elections.
We commend them for the resilience and urge the security agencies to rise to the occasion by providing adequate cover for the electoral body at this point of monumental national engagement. The elections cannot be compromised for any reason as Nigerians have long awaited the transition.
We urge the electoral body to also be careful in handling electoral officials, especially adhoc staff who should be appointed based on proper scrutiny to ensure they are above board in character and competence.
We also plead with various stakeholders in the electioneering turf to circumspect in handling their campaigns so as to play within the limits of decorum and civilised activities. They should eschew campaigns laced with abuses and indecorous language capable of causing mayhem. It is commendable also the move by National Universities Commission, NUC, the directive that all universities be shut down all through the election period in order to ensure that students will not become tools in the hands of devious politicians.
The election is here and we urge all Nigerians to act positively by conducting this civic duty religiously.
