The Presidency has blamed the easter holidays for its inability to convene the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday.
Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, told State House correspondents that the two-day holiday made it difficult for members of the council’s secretariat to make memos available to ministers three days ahead of meeting days as it is the norm.
Journalists who rushed to the Council Chambers for the opening of the meeting by 10am on Wednesday were surprised that there was no sign of any meeting.
It was later learnt from insiders that the meeting was not in the President’s programme for this week at all.
“The staff on the council secretariat resumed on Tuesday after the Easter holidays.
“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 debates,” Shehu said.
The FEC which has the Vice President, all ministers, National Security Adviser, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Staff to the President and Head of Service as members, is chaired by the President.
Last week’s meeting was however chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo while President Muhammadu Buhari remained in the
residence.
Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, later told journalists that this had nothing to do with the President’s state of health, adding that he attended to other important matters at home since the Council’s schedule was light.
