…20 ministers of 36 absent, too

There was anxiety at the Aso Rock, on Wednesday, as President Muhammadu Buhari again failed to show up for the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

Similarly, the Council Chamber, venue of the meeting, was also scanty with about 20 of 36 ministers equally absent.‎

Reasons for the President’s absence was yet to be known officially as at the time of filing this report.

The same goes for the absentee ministers.‎

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo showed up at the Council Chambers at about a few minutes to 11:00a.m.

At 11:00 a.m while council members waited for the arrival of the President, his Chief Protocol Officer showed up ‎and briefed the Vice President, obviously explaining that the President may not be able to make it.

Osinbajo, thereafter, called for the National Anthem and opening prayers, which were said by ‎the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu (Muslim prayer) while the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said the Christian prayer, that signaled the commencement of the meeting.

Journalists were later excused from the meeting which got underway.

Meanwhile, the acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Dr. Habiba Muda Lawal, was at the meeting.

It was the second time the President would  be absent at the council meeting since returning from a medical vacation in the United Kingdom, where he spent 49 days.

At the last FEC meeting he attended, he‎ launched the country’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

He has hardly been seen at public functions even as concerns mount in the ‎polity over his health condition.

Penultimate Wednesday, the President also failed to show up raising concerns about his health status. No reason was given for his absence but the minister of information and culture later told journalists that the President was attending to other matters of national importance.

Last week, the FEC shelved its meeting on the grounds that the secretariat had not resumed. Presidential Media Aide, Garba Shehu told newsmen that the President was not sick.

President Buhari’s Chief Security Officer, Bashir Abubakar, had on Monday, expelled PUNCH’s State House Correspondent, Olalekan Adetayo, from the Presidential Villa, Abuja.‎

He made reference  to the lead story of SUNDAY PUNCH of April 23, 2017, titled “Fresh anxiety in Aso Rock over Buhari’s poor health” and queried the motive behind it.

He also referred to Adetayo’s column, Aso Rock Lens, published on Saturday, April 22, 2017, and titled “Seat of power’s event centres going into extinction.”‎

The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina had distanced the Presidency from‎ the CSO’s action and had assured of amicable solution.

Adetayo, was been recalled after ‎the clearance was given by the Director General State Security Service, Lawal Daura, according to a text by ‎the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu to  Chairman State House Press Corps, Ubale Musa.

The ‎PUNCH management have however demanded for an apology from both the Presidency and the CSO before Adetayo will return to the Presidential Villa‎.