Muhammadu Buhari is absent at the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC currently holding at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. His Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is functioning in his place.
The reason for the President’s absence was not known as there was no official position on the development. Apparently, Buhari’s non appearance was a surprise to most of his Ministers who had expected him to preside over the meeting.
Signs that he would have presided over the meeting became conspicuous when a security operative in plain clothe stood behind the President’s seat to secure it. Such had been the culture at the meeting and indeed, any other function the President is billed to attend. But by 11am when the FEC meeting was scheduled to commence, Osinbajo’s voice resonated from the background as he called for the National Anthem. The development abruptly alerted most Ministers who were hitherto exchanging pleasantries with each another to settle down for the day’s business. Journalists were later excused from the meeting. It is not known whether the President would join the meeting later. It will be recalled that the President since he returned from his medical trip on March 10 had been presiding over FEC. His last FEC however was last week Wednesday when he launched the Economic and Recovery Growth Plan, ERGP.
