House Okays Presidential Transition Bill

By Adedayo Akinwale

The House of Representatives has passed the procedure and ceremony for transition and assumption of the Office of the President, and Vice-President-elect for second reading.

The bill, which is sponsored by Hon. Kpam Sokpo, seeks to provide for the procedure and ceremony for transition and assumption of the Office of the President, and Vice-President-elect, and to facilitate the handover process by the outgoing president and vice-president.

Leading the debate, Sokpo said in the Part 1 of the bill of the Transition and Assumption of Office Committee would be established and would be referred to as ‘The Committee’.

He explained that ‘The Committee’ shall be ad hoc and consist of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), who shall be the chairman; the Attorney-General of the Federation; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information.

Other members of the committee are the Chief of Defence Staff; the National Security Adviser; the Inspector-General of Police; the Chief of Staff to the President; the Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly; the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, and six persons nominated by the president-elect representing the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

The lawmaker added that the quorum for the conduct of the business at a meeting of The Committee shall be two-third of all the members of the committee.

Sokpo added that the chairman of The Committee shall convene the meetings of the committee as prescribed under the bill, while the Permanent Secretary, Office of the SGF shall be the Secretary to The Committee.

He noted that the committee would be saddled with the responsibility of facilitating the handover process by the outgoing president and vice-president to the president-elect and vice-president-elect.

Sokpo stressed that the committee would also organise the security of the president-elect and Vice-President-elect, among others.

According to him, “There is established Transition and Assumption of Office Fund for the administration of the committee into which shall be paid such sums as shall be appropriated by the National Assembly for the purpose of transition and assumption of office in a presidential election year.”

The lawmaker noted that under Part II of the bill, upon the declaration of the final results of a presidential election by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC), the committee shall ensure that the president-elect and vice-president-elect are provided adequate security.

Sokpo explained further that The Committee shall ensure that the president-elect and vice-president-elect receives security briefings from the relevant national security agencies.

He said the president-elect and vice-president-elect shall, in consultation with The Committee, carry out such preparations as may be necessary for the purpose of assuming office.

In his submission, the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, said the bill is very important as it intends to cure the disease of discretion.

He added that the transition period is a period where the country becomes vulnerable, saying it is not a time to be watching the body language of anyone.

Toby noted that another reason why the bill is important is to prevent a situation whereby the country loses opportunities due to the inability to form cabinet for almost a year like it was witnessed in 2015.