President Muhammadu Buhari could not convene the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday as a result of the Easter holiday, according to the Presidency.
In a text message sent to TheCable, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said, “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 debates.”
Last Friday and Monday were declared as public holiday by the Federal Government for the Easter celebration.
Reacting to questions on why the documents were not circulated before the holiday since the secretariat had prior knowledge of the holiday; Shehu replied that as human beings, they also needed the break.
Shehu denied speculations that the cancellation of the meeting was related to President Buhari’s health, saying it “will not be fair,” to make such assumption.
The President was absent at last week’s FEC meeting which was chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, explained that Buhari did not attend the meeting because he was attending to other issues.
“Clearly when we came in this morning, Mr. President was not in the chambers but the Vice President did preside over the council meeting.
“Understandably, that has sparked a lot of controversies and imputations in the mind of people.
“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,” Mohammed said.
Speculations about Buhari’s health follow his recent extended medical vacation in the United Kingdom.
