The presidency, on Friday, described as “outrageous” and “fake” a media report that claimed President Muhammadu Buhari had vowed not to hand over to the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.
Presidential aide, Garba Shehu, in a statement said it wondered why after campaigning for Tinubu, the president would turn around to say he would not hand over power to him.
INEC had on 1 March declared Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate as the winner of the 25 February election.
He beat 17 others including Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) to emerge winner.
Both Messrs Atiku and Obi are currently challenging the victory of the APC candidate in court.
Buhari, who will exit power on 29 May upon the completion of his second term in office, is a member of the APC as Tinubu.
An online medium, Sahara Reporters had reported that Mr Buhari had said he would not hand to Tinubu.
The presidency, in the statement, said a committee the president constituted and charged with the responsibility of facilitating and managing the handing over process by the current administration is currently working.
It further said the Daura community where Mr Buhari hails from, has begun their preparations to receive their son back after eight years in power.
“He, for his part, is eager to return home to enjoy his retirement,” the statement said.
Read the full statement by the Presidency
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
THE PRESIDENT NEVER SAID HE WON’T HAND OVER TO ELECTED TINUBU
The Presidency wishes to denounce as outrageous and fake, and condemns the fake news brigade for attributing a false quote to President Muhammadu Buhari and circulating it.
How can you vigorously campaign for somebody, vote for him and then say you won’t hand over to him? This beggars belief.
The situation of the Sahara Reporters is pretty pathetic since their ownership is politically partisan in today’s politics, in fact a loser in the presidential election. Instead of talking about issues, they repeatedly sell lies in the hope that people believe them as truth.
The government is already in transition phase. The Transition Committee, made up of representatives of the outgoing administration and the incoming one is meeting on an almost daily basis planning the handover to the Tinubu/Shettima administration. Thirteen committees as offshoots of the main committee, some, to arrange military drills and pulling out of President Buhari, are either all at work or soon to be. So far, everything is going very well and there is no indication of any hitches.
As for the President, the Daura community has begun their preparations to receive their son back after the successful administration of the country for two terms of eight years. He, for his part, is eager to return home to enjoy his retirement.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
March 24, 2023
