Political Briefs
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PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari was conspicuously absent at the emergency meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, he summoned today in Abuja. The meeting at the council chambers of the presidential villa, had Vice President Yemi Osinabjo presiding.
No official reason yet was given to explain why the president was absent which apparently surprise some members of the FEC made up of the 36 ministers including David Babachir, secretary to the government of the federation, SGF. Time of the meeting was 11am and the licensed members had arrived pretty early.
Journalists saw the members exchanging pleasantries amongst themselves. But they were interrupted by a clap of hand, a sign to signal them of the president’s arrival to the meeting. But there was no sign of the president in the room as Babachir called the meeting to order while Vice President Osinabjo called for opening prayers while journalists were excused from the meeting.
No one knew whether the president later joined the meeting which was to review the 2016 budget estimates that got to the presidency on Thursday from the National Assembly. It should be recalled that the president had insisted on seeing the details of the budget before he could append his signature to sign the 2016 Appropriation Bill into law.
Buhari had a budget of N6.07 trillion to the National Assembly which pruned it down to N6.06 trillion amid allegations of budget padding. It is not clear whether the president will sign the budget before leaving for China next week, a trip that may keep him away from office for almost a week or even more. – Vanguard
— Apr 18, 2016 @ 01:00 GMT
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