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Why Buhari was missing from FEC meeting

By Online Editor
12 April 2017   |   3:53 pm
The Presidency on Wednesday said that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting because President Mohammadu Buhari was engaged with other pressing state issues. This is the first time Vice President ‎Osinbajo will be presiding over the meeting since President Buhari returned from his medical vacation in London, United Kingdom…

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice PResident Yemi Osinbajo at the president’s office at the State House, Abuja on March 13, 2017. PHOTO: PHILIP OJISUA

The Presidency on Wednesday said that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting because President Mohammadu Buhari was engaged with other pressing state issues.

This is the first time Vice President ‎Osinbajo will be presiding over the meeting since President Buhari returned from his medical vacation in London, United Kingdom (UK).

Buhari returned to the country on March 10, after spending 49 days attending to his health.He was at the presidential villa as at 11 am when the council meeting commenced‎.

But, his absence at the meeting sparked wild speculations that his health had relapsed and rendered him indisposed to preside over the council.

However, addressing State House Correspondents after the meeting, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, explained that it was not unusual for the Vice President to preside over the council.

“Clearly when we came in this morning, Mr President was not in the chambers but the Vice President did preside over the council meeting,” Mohammed said.

The Minister who gave reasons for President Buhari’s absence at the weekly meeting Wednesday said “he is not ill, he is not sick,” and assured that the President will be back in the office tomorrow (Thursday).

“Is not unusual, even if Mr president is hail and hearty and everything is going on well, for the VP to come and preside over meetings of the federal executive council.

“The fact that Mr President is not in the office does not mean that he is not working. I have just been told now that the secretary to the government, Babachir Lawal, is already with him in the residence working. So, the fact that you did not see him in the office does not mean that he is not working at all.

“Understandably, that has sparked a lot of controversies. I just want to make this clear, Mr President is in town. Mr president is attending to other issues. Mr president looked at the agenda, it was a very light agenda and decided that the Vice President should preside.

“It is not unusual for the kind of interest that is shown especially given the fact that Mr president was away for a while on medical treatment. We are not surprised that people will be wondering is he ill again?”

FEC, as constituted, is presided by the President and has the Vice President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the National Security Adviser (NSA), Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF) and cabinet ministers as members.

9 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    Lies 3.0 just activated

  • Author’s gravatar

    Li in don start again !

  • Author’s gravatar

    With Babachir Lawal in the adjacent other room working. I heard he only work all time no sleep in the adjacent other room

  • Author’s gravatar

    YES MR LIE MOHAMMED FROM THE MINISTRIES OF LIES AND MISINFORMATION , YOU ARE PAID BY BUHARI TO TELL LIES. YOU ARE PART OF BUHARI’S CORRUPT CABAL WORKING FOR YOUR BREAD.

  • Author’s gravatar

    When will Lia stop telling lies? Does he want to make Heaven? If so, then tell Nigerians the truth. He couldn’t attend because he was under the weather, period.

  • Author’s gravatar

    That’s governance for you guys. Aso rock administration is not a town hall affairs okay? What do u guys want from this man? Will his absence affects daily running of Nigeria?, no doubts the president is sick and so what? Abeg.

  • Author’s gravatar

    “Mr president looked at the agenda, it was a very light agenda and decided that the Vice President should preside”. SMH for Nigeria, so unfortunate am 1 of them.

  • Author’s gravatar

    “Understandably, that has sparked a lot of controversies. I just want to make this clear, Mr President is in town. Mr president is attending to other issues. Mr president looked at the agenda, it was a very light agenda and decided that the Vice President should preside.

    “It is not unusual for the kind of interest that is shown especially given the fact that Mr president was away for a while on medical treatment. We are not surprised that people will be wondering is he ill again?”

    FEC, as constituted, is presided by the President and has the Vice President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the National Security Adviser (NSA), Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF) and cabinet ministers as members.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Whatever happened to my comment to this features but note that you earlier suggested the the President’ll be returning to London to continue his medical treatment so, undoubtedly people are thinking and wondering nevertheless the Vice President is supposed to preside over some of the Meetings suggesting that participatory system of government or administration otherwise you’ll build-in suspicions in the set-up – ‘Nigeria belongs to everybody’ you recall Buhari said it in his 1983 Dec. take-over of government!