FG Explains Why President Buhari Approved Multibillion Naira Contracts Before End Of Tenure

Federal Government explained why President Muhammadu Buhari, whose term will end on May 29, chose to approve multi-billion naira contracts.

The Minister of Transportation, Mu'azu Sambo, addressed the media questions in Abuja following Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, noting that the government was elected to function till May 29, 2023. Hence, it doesn't make sense to stop functioning one month ahead of the tenure.

"Ladies and gentlemen, without any intentions of mischief, this government was elected to function from 2019 to precisely 29th of May 2023," Sambo said, Punch reported. "Should we now stop functioning one month before the next appointment because we're coming to the end of the tenure?"

He emphasized that this government "must work," adding that the current government expects the same from the next government.

During the briefing, Sulaiman Adamu, who serves as the Minister of Water Resources, also explained that the contracts President Buhari's administration has signed will take time to process.

"If I may add, there are processes and this process has started. We're still operating the 2022 budget, we have agencies," he added. "These things are not just done in one day. We had lots of submissions to BPP to ICRC, all the agencies involved in the procurement, and they have to get ready."

Minister Adamu went on to explain that anytime these processes are ready, they are supposed to submit at that point, noting that just like the Minister of Transportation, other officials are also still in the office technically and will continue to operate until May 28.

Adamu noted that the office received instruction from the president to continue to work even after the election results.

"Since the elections were conducted, that government must continue to function regardless of elections and so on," he said. "And so we're just doing our duty as we should serve in the country."

He continued, "We do not control the process, but when it's completed and we're still in office, we're duty-bound to bring these memos to Council for Council to approve. Government is a continuum. There are still a lot of memos."

The minister confirmed that there are a lot of contracts that will "not see the light of day in the next one week or two" and for these contracts, they have no other option than relying on the next administration that will take over.

President Buhari served Nigeria since 2015 and is set to step down from his position later this month. Former governor of Lagos State Bola Ahmed Tinubu will take over the role of president following the Nigerian presidential inauguration to be held on May 29.

President-elect Tinubu left Nigeria on Wednesday and his media aide, Tunde Rahmon disclosed that he went to Europe on a working visit.