“News That Buhari Said He Doesn’t See Himself Handing Over To Tinubu Is False” - Presidency

 

The Presidency last night debunked as outrageous fake news a story by an online publication that President Muhammadu Buhari said he did not see himself handing over to President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The medium had claimed that Buhari confided in “close associates” that he did not see himself handing over to Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

However, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a statement in Abuja, queried the logic of the rumour.

He wondered how the President could have campaigned vigorously for Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, without hoping to hand over to them after securing victory.

“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,” he said.

“How can you vigorously campaign for somebody, vote for him and then say you won’t hand over to him? This beggars belief.

“The situation of the Sahara Reporters is pretty pathetic since their ownership is politically partisan in today’s politics; in fact a loser in the presidential election.

“Instead of talking about issues, they repeatedly sell lies in the hope that people believe them as truth.”

It pointed out that the Muhammadu Buhari administration had already kicked off the process of transition with committees in place, which are already carrying out duties focused on a hand-over process.

“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.

“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.

“As for the President, the Daura community has begun their preparations to receive their son back after the successful administration of the country for two terms of eight years. He, for his part, is eager to return home to enjoy his retirement.”