A bill providing for transition between an outgoing incumbent President and an in-coming President, sponsored by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, received concurrence on March 2, from the Senate.
The bill sets out how power should transit between an outgoing President and an incoming one, providing for the incumbent to set the machinery of transition in place within two weeks of announcement of Presidential election results.
The President is mandated to provide the following for the President-elect:
- Well-furnished and equipped office space;
- Accurate information, data and necessary documents to enable the President-elect and his or her team acquire knowledge of departments, agencies, commissions and boards of the Executive arm of government.
- Payment of allowances for members of the President-elect’s team at rates determined by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission
- Payment of travel expenses and subsistence allowances
However, any employee of an agency or department of government that is part of the Transition team of the President or President-elect will only be entitled to the remuneration from his or her regular employment.
The bill provides for the appointment of an Administrator-General by the President subject to Senate ratification, to head the transition process after each general election. The Administrator-General will be the Head of the government estates and keep inventory of all assets and properties of the Government, which are not vested in State Governors and ensure that they are in good condition. He or she is also required to ensure that all budgetary documents, facilities and other necessary documents requested by the President-elect are provided without delay, among other responsibilities.
The bill makes budgetary provision for the transition process. To this end, funds not exceeding N100 million are to be appropriated to the Administrator-General for the fiscal year in which transition is to take place. However, such funds will not be disbursed after appropriation in the event that the incumbent President is re-elected.
Violation of any provision of this bill with regard to failure to provide necessary facilities or required documents, thereby frustrating the efforts of the transition team is punishable by a fine of N10 million or a minimum imprisonment term of six months or both, upon conviction.
The references made to the President in this bill apply to the Vice President, while those made to the President-elect apply to the Vice President-elect.