In Historic Transition President Muhammadu Buhari Passes Baton To Tinubu

In a transition ceremony that resonated with historic significance, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday handed the baton of leadership to his successor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying he has finished his race well and satisfied that he is handing over Nigeria to competent hands.

“I have run a good race; I have finished my course. It is now time for another to take up the baton,’’ the outgoing president stated.

Buhari spoke during the investiture of Tinubu, the president-elect, as the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), the nation’s highest honour, and vice president-elect, Kashim Shettima, as Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) ,” President Muhammadu Buhari said.

Before conferring the highest and second highest national honours on Tinubu and Shettima, President Buhari said the investiture of the president-elect and vice president-elect sets the pace for their swearing in on Monday, May 29, 2023, drawing a curtain on the eight-year administration of Buhari, who served two terms, 2015-2023.

The president said, “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 recognized 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. 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”.

Buhari noted that Tinubu has the experience and capacity to lead the country, carrying on the legacy of his administration.

“President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you have a long and illustrious track record of public service, marked by your exceptional achievements in various capacities. Your transformative leadership in Lagos State, where you left an indelible mark in the areas of infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economic development, speaks volumes about your dedication to the welfare of the Nigerian people,” he said.

Buhari expressed gratitude to Nigerians  for their unwavering support and trust throughout his tenure, adding that “it has been an honour and a privilege to serve this great nation, and I am confident that Nigeria is in capable hands as we embark on this new chapter.’’

While examining some of the challenges before the incoming administration, President Buhari advised Tinubu to lead the country with wisdom, courage, and compassion.

Buhari said his administration was faced with many challenges at inception and worked hard to tackle hydra-headed issues.

“This administration from inception has faced security challenges such as insurgency, oil theft, kidnapping as well as corruption which has eaten deep into the system.

“With the political will and support of many Nigerians, especially our dogged Armed Forces, insurgency, terrorism, and kidnapping have been reduced to their barest minimum while corruption has been tackled headlong.

“Despite the aforementioned challenges, our administration has made economic gains over the years.

He said 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 will 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, President Buhari said that the incoming government would continue with the race of advancing democracy and development.

On his part, Tinubu extolled President Buhari for his democratic credentials, noting that he made tough decisions that other past leaders dodged from taking.

The president-elect said Buhari made history on assumption of office by recognising late Chief M.K.O. Abiola and Ambassador Babagana Kingibe as winners of the 1993 presidential elections and honoured them with GCFR, and GCON, respectively.

“You went back into history to set the record straight,’’ he added.

He congratulated the president for providing strong and visionary leadership for eight years, assuring that he will not disappoint on assumption of office on Monday.

“I understand the honour given to me and the magnitude of the task that awaits us,’’ he noted.

Tinubu promised not to disappoint Nigerians who put their trust in him by electing him their president, saying his election to lead the over 200 million people in the country was a goodwill,  which came from a place of trust.

He said, “I am a simple man who is the beneficiary of the support and goodwill of the people of Nigeria. The people have put their trust in us.  You have done your part Mr. President.

“Now, that great duty descends on me. I understand the meaning of the honor given to me today and of the task that awaits.

“I must run this race and must do it well. On security, the economy, agriculture, jobs, education, health and power and in all other sectors we must make headway.  The people deserve no less. In this, I shall disappoint neither them nor you, Mr. President.”

The president-elect stated that though Nigeria’s path may not always be smooth but expressed faith in the country’s purpose and collective ability to overcome challenges.

He continued: “Our way shall not always be smooth. Yet we are imbued with faith in our purpose and a firm belief in our collective ability to overcome the challenges that confront us.”

He also commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s unwavering commitment to progressive and democratic good governance, recognizing him as a leader who took courageous decisions when others shied away.

He specifically thanked President Buhari for designating June 12 as Democracy Day and honouring MKO Abiola with the GCFR title, a decision other presidents were afraid to take.

He said, “President Buhari, you have shown courage in taking tough decisions others avoided.

“One such decision was to recognize the injustice of the annulment of the 1993 election, to designate June 12 as Democracy Day, and to bestow the nation’s highest honor on the late MKO Abiola.

“As much as anyone could, you reached back into history to set the record straight and heal a festering wound. The justice you did in this matter lends special meaning to today.”

The president-elect also expressed his gratitude to President Buhari for bestowing the nation’s highest honors on him and Vice President-elect Shettima, promising to carry

“Thank you, Mr. President, for bestowing the nation’s highest honors on my Vice President elect Shettima and me,” he said.

Asiwaju Tinubu also extended his appreciation for the transition documents and the diligent work performed by the transition council led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha.

While acknowledging the comprehensive scorecard presented in the transition documents, he said, “The documents summarize the immense work of your administration. They constitute an impressive and noteworthy scorecard.”