FG Cancels FEC Meeting, Presidency Hinges Decision on Insufficient Time for Preparation

By Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

The weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting did not hold on Wednesday in the Presidential Villa, thus giving rise to speculations that the meeting might have been cancelled because of President Muhammadu Buhari’s inability to attend.

Initial reactions trailing the cancellation had harped on the Presidency’s deliberate decision to avoid a repeat of last week’s experience when media reports on the president’s absence at FEC meeting was perceived to be negative and uncomplimentary.

Some media reports had said his unexpected absence at the meeting spoke volume of his inability to govern the country due to his ill health following his confession after returning from about 50 days of medical vacation in the United Kingdom on March 10 that he had never been “this sick”.

But the president’s spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a text message to THISDAY, following an inquiry on reasons for the cancellation, said Wednesday’s meeting was cancelled due to the inability of the staff of the Council Secretariat to circulate memos to ministers.

He said the council secretariat staff, who had been on Easter holiday since last week Friday, only resumed on Tuesday and hence, did not have enough time to prepare and circulate memos to ministers on the meeting as it has always been the case.

According Shehu, the tradition is that memos are sent to ministers at least two days ahead of any FEC meeting so that they can have time to read such memos and simultaneously conduct relevant research on the the central idea of the meeting.

He said the idea of circulating memos ahead of FEC meetings had become imperative because the council is not a rubber stamp of the president and hence, every minister is required to prepare ahead.

“The staff of the Council Secretariat resumed on Tuesday after the Easter. There was no time to prepare and circulate memos to ministers. By practice, the ministers receive council memos two or three days ahead of meetings because they must read them and sometimes undertake research. It is not a rubber stamp council so everyone must prepare themselves well for the debate,” he stated.