President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja declared that he has finished his tenure successfully.
“I have run a good race, I have finished my course. It is now time for another to take up the baton,” Buhari said this after the investiture of President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu with GCFR, and Vice President-elect, Sen. Kashim Shettima with GCON.
The investiture of the president-elect and vice president-elect set the pace for their swearing into office on Monday (May 29, 2023), drawing a curtain on the eight-year administration of Buhari, who served two terms, 2015-2023.
The president congratulated both political leaders, who had served as Governor of Lagos and Borno States, respectively.
“I extend my warmest congratulations to the President-elect, on his well-deserved victory at the February 25th, 2023, Presidential elections.
”The Nigerian people have recognised your leadership qualities, political acumen and passion to serve our great nation, and have entrusted you with the burden of governing our beloved country.
“I have no doubt that Nigeria will continue to thrive and achieve new heights under your leadership. You were the best candidate at the elections and Nigerians have chosen wisely.
“I equally extend my congratulations to the Vice President-elect,” Buhari said.
The president noted that: ”Your wealth of experience in governance, your unwavering commitment to the well-being of the Nigerian people, and your exemplary leadership during challenging times as Governor of Borno State, have made you a deserving candidate for this position.
”I have full confidence that you will serve our nation with utmost dedication and integrity.
“In accordance with the Honours Award Act, 1963, Laws of Federation of Nigeria (LFN), 2004, Presidents/Heads of State receive the Honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (GCFR), while the Vice Presidents are awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON).
“Today, with the authority vested in me, as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I have conferred the National Honour of GCFR on His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu and that of the GCON on His Excellency Kashim Shettima, respectively.”
“As we celebrate this auspicious occasion, let us not forget the immense responsibilities that come with leadership.
”The challenges facing our nation are significant, and it is the duty of the President and Vice President to address them with courage, wisdom and compassion.
“We must remain committed to the principles of good governance, transparency and accountability, as these are the foundations upon which our nation’s progress and development rely,’’ he added.
that we unlock the true potential of our nation, leading to better communication, facilitating trade and propelling economic growth,’’ he said.
The president said an Executive Order No. 14 of 2023, had been signed ”to avoid a repeat of our 2015 experience’’, establishing the legal framework for conducting presidential transitions at the federal level.
According to him, the Executive Order establishes the Presidential Transition Council chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Ministerial Transition Teams headed by the Permanent Secretaries.
Buhari explained that the primary responsibility of the two ad-hoc bodies was to ensure that every piece of information that would help a new administration get off to a speedy start was made available in a usable format and in a timely manner.
“Today, I am so proud to have handed over to you my Successor, Your Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, three key documents that will guide you as you aim to define a path for your administration.
“It is my earnest desire that you will find these documents useful as this would be the first time in the history of this country that such detailed documentation will be produced for handover to a new administration.
”I strongly encourage you to uphold this legacy and make the experience even better for your successor by the time you are to leave office.
“It may also interest you to know that apart from these three documents, all the Ministries and their Agencies have also prepared their Handover Notes, ready to brief their new political leadership. I want to sincerely thank the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and his team for this great feat,’’ he further stated.
On the transfer of a symbolic baton to Asiwaju Tinubu, Buhari said that the incoming government would continue with the race of advancing democracy and development.
“This is a first in the history of our Nation’s transition process. To preserve this remarkable history for generations to come, I have directed that the Baton be preserved in the Presidential history wing of the National Archives and I hope that President-elect Tinubu and those after him will build on this tradition,’’ he added.
In his remark, Tinubu thanked Buhari for the transition committee that was ensuring a smooth handing-over process, with documents that cover and capture the performance of the outgoing administration.
“I also feel a sense of pride that this moment is our moment,’’ he said.
Tinubu also extolled Buhari for his democratic credentials, making history on the assumption of office by recognising late Chief M.K.O. Abiola and Amb. Babagana Kingibe as winners of the 1993 presidential elections and honouring them with GCFR and GCON, respectively.
“You went back into history to set the record straight,’’ he noted.
Tinubu congratulated the president for providing strong and visionary leadership for eight years, assuring that he will not disappoint on the assumption of office on Monday.
“I understand the honour given to me and the magnitude of the task that awaits us,’’ he noted.
On his part, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, reeled out the achievements of the administration in eight years and explained the historic baton and the three documents that were handed over.