Again, Buhari absent at FEC meeting
President Muhammadu Buhari, again, yesterday stayed away from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, asking his cabinet to allow him rest.
Yesterday’s council meeting was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. It lasted for 1:45 minutes.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, later told State House correspondents that President Buhari asked that he be allowed to rest for today (yesterday).
“We just concluded the Federal Executive Council meeting. I am sure you noticed that the president was not there. He was not there because he asked that he be allowed to rest and asked the vice president to preside. And he (President Buhari) will be working from home. He has asked all his files to be taken to him in the house. He will be working from home today,” he stated.
Before the meeting started, cabinet members had, for several minutes, waited the president’s arrival until the State Chief of Protocol (SCOP), Malam Lawal Abdullahi Kazaure, stepped in at 11.05am and whispered to Osinbajo.
A security officer had also stood behind Buhari’s official seat in expectation of the president’s attendance. Presidential spokesmen, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, were also present.
A fortnight ago, President Buhari was equally absent at the weekly council meeting though the government said there was no cause for worry.
The council meeting did not hold last week, with the Presidency citing the Easter break.
President Buhari had on March 10 returned from a 50-day medical vacation in the United Kingdom. He had disclosed that he would go back there for further check-ups.
Our correspondent reports that the acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr Habibat Lawan, attended yesterday’s council meeting.
But she did not occupy the SGF seat as of the time journalists were leaving the Council Chambers after the meeting had started. Otherwise, she would have sat right-sided the vice president.
Mrs Lawan rather sat on a chair behind the ministers’ seats.
She became acting SGF last Wednesday sequel to the suspension of Babachir David Lawal, who is being investigated for alleged violations of law and due process in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North-East (PINE). The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari and 14 ministers were absent during yesterday’s FEC meeting.
Our correspondent reports that Buhari’s cabinet currently comprises 34 ministers, with the recent resignation of Aminat Mohammed (Environment) and the death, last year, of James Ocholi (State for Labour and Employment).
Ministers absent included: Audu Ogbeh (Agriculture); Babatunde Fashola (Power, Works and Housing); Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment); Aisha Alhassan (Women Affairs); Ogbonaya Onu, (Science and Technology); Suleiman Adamu (Water Resources); Solomon Dalong (Sports).
Also absent were Udoma Udo Udoma (Budget and National Planning): Mansur Dan-Ali (Defence): Kayode Fayemi (Solid Minerals Development); Okechukwu Enelamah (Trade, Investment and Industry); Khadija Bukar Ibrahim (State for Foreign Affairs); Mustapha Baba Shehuri (State for Power) and Heineken Lokpobiri (State for Agriculture).