*Garba Shehu, Spokesman states the Nigerian Presidency wishes to denounces as ‘outrageous and fake, and condemns the fake news brigade for attributing a false quote to President Muhammadu Buhari and circulating it’

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Presidency has denied reports that President Muhammadu Buhari is “unwilling” to hand over to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President-elect, at the end of his tenure May 29, 2023.

Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity, in a statement issued Friday, March 24, in Abuja, FCT, clarified the Federal Government is already in a transition phase.

Shehu stated: “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 Presidential aide also described the premise presented by an online news medium as “pretty pathetic”.

The statement noted the ownership of the online medium is “politically partisan in today’s politics, in fact a loser in the presidential election.”

According to the Presidency, instead of discussing issues, the platform repeatedly sold lies in the hope that Nigerians would believe them as truth.

Shehu further stated: “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.”

13 Transition Committees’ work in progress -SSA

The statement as well explained that “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.”

The Daura community, in Katsina State, has begun preparations to receive their son back after the “successful administration of the country for two terms of eight years,” Shehu stated.

He added as far as Buhari is concerned, the President is eager to return home (Daura) to enjoy his retirement.