Kano: Outgoing, Incoming Administrations Bicker Over Transition Committee

By Ayodele Oni

Following allegations that the outgoing Kano state administration is frustrating a smooth handover of power to the incoming administration, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has reiterated commitment to ensuring a peaceful and seamless transition to the incoming government.

The State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Muhammad Garba, in a statement on Saturday, said the main Transition Committee and the various sub-committees were working towards smooth handing over of power in the state.

The New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP) Governorship Transition Committee had accused the outgoing Ganduje led administration of frustrating seamless transition to the incoming administration.

The statement by Muhammad Garba dismissed insinuations by the NNDP that the outgoing administration is undermining the transition programme.

In the statement, Garba explained that the main transition committee and the various sub-committees at the levels of Ministries Departments and Agencies are working tirelessly and have made substantial progress toward preparing a handing over notes to the incoming administration.

“While the transition committee by the outgoing government prepares the final handing-over report, the committee by the incoming administration will eventually receive the report at the appropriate time.

“The inclusion of representation from the incoming government was based on the need to ensure transparency and openness in the process.’’

It added that since the outgoing government is having all the relevant data and information at its disposal, which the transition committee is gathering, the incoming government needs the least representation in the committee, just as it obtains in other states where the transition is between different political parties.

According to the statement, the aim of the transition committee was to prepare a handing over from one government to another and not present or promote any form of ideology.

The commissioner indicated that the outgoing government expected that the issue of ideology and new programmes to be initiated by the NNPP should wait for the unveiling when the new government is inaugurated.

Garba also called on the elements of the incoming government to tread carefully and work for a smooth transition process and avoid anything that could sabotage the process.