President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence at the Wednesday’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja has left Nigerians again speculating about the health condition of the 74-year-old leader, who recently returned to the country from his 49-day medical vacation to the United Kingdom.
It is gathered that he also did not report in his office but remained inside his official residence throughout the day. In his absence, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo presided over the Wednesday meeting.
This was not the original plan because Osinbajo had arrived at the venue at about 10.52am to join other members of the cabinet, including ministers, to wait for Buhari to declare open the meeting, which was to begin at11am. And a security operative was already standing behind the President’s seat, in anticipation of his arrival.
Seconds after Osinbajo arrived for the meeting, he consulted briefly with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who then announced to members to settle down for the commencement of the meeting.
Most of them, who were bracing for Buhari’s arrival, were obviously surprised when Osinbajo asked for the national anthem to be recited to kick-off the meeting. Through out the meeting, Mr. Buhari remained in his official residence.
It was the first time Mr. Osinbajo presided over the council meeting since Buhari returned to the country on March 10.
However, Mr Mohammed explained to journalists that there was nothing unusual in the President being absent at the meeting.
He said Buhari was attending to other issues during the meeting and had asked Osinbajo to stand in for him.
Mohammed said: “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 the people.
“I just want to make this clear that Mr. President is in town; Mr. President is attending to other issues. He looked at the agenda, he found out that it was a very light agenda and decided that the Vice-President should preside.
“It is not unusual for the kind of interest that is shown, especially given the fact that Mr. President was away for a while on medical treatment. We are not surprised that people will be wondering whether he is ill again.
“He is not ill, he is not sick. I am sure that later in the day or tomorrow (Thursday) morning, he will be back in the office. I just want to clear that misconception.
“It is not unusual even if Mr. President is hale and hearty and everything is going on well, for the Vice-President to come and preside over meetings of the Federal Executive Council.
“The fact that Mr. President is not in the office does not mean that he is not working. I have just been told now that the SGF is already with him in the residence working. So, the fact that you did not see him in the office does not mean that he is not working at all.”
What the minister failed to tell Nigerians was this thing Buhari was doing that was more important than the FEC meeting, which was not impromptu in any case.
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