FEC put off as Buhari receives SGF, NIA probe report

Muhammadu Buhari(President of Nigeria)  

The regular meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has been cancelled. It would have been the first to be presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari after his nearly 105 days medical vacation in the United Kingdom over an undisclosed ailment.

It would not be the first time cabinet meeting is being put off since the president took ill.

FEC has been canceled in the past or Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made to preside over the weekly meeting even when the president is in the presidential villa. Since his return to the country last Saturday, Buhari has been operating from an office in his official residence with the Presidency saying that it was a move to give room for his damaged office to the be renovated.

Senior Special Assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu revealed to the media on Tuesday that the office could not be used because rodents had destroyed some of the equipment.

Buhari is however now expected to receive the Osinbajo Investigative Panel Report on the suspended Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and the Director General of the National intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke.

The SGF was investigated for alleged abuse of funds belonging to the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE) while the DG NIA ran into troubled water over the huge sums of money discovered at flat on Osborne Road, Ikoyi Lagos.

Buhari was scheduled to receive the report on May 7 but that was the day he left the country for London on medical vacation.

Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, confirmed the story in a statement issued on Wednesday morning in Abuja, saying:

“The meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) will not hold today.

“President Muhammadu Buhari, will however, receive the Report of the investigation committee into the allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke, headed by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, at 12 noon, in his office.”