By Ikechukwu Amaechi
When President Muhammadu Buhari cancelled the August 23, 2017,
Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, the first on his return from a 103-day
medical trip to the United Kingdom, in order to receive the report of the
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo-led committee, which was asked to probe the
allegations of fraud against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the
Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and the Director-General of the National
Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayodele Oke, some Nigerians were scandalised.
 |
| *VP Osinbajo and President Buhari |
And the reason was simple. The Council remains the highest policy
making organ of the federal government and after a three-month absence from
Nigerian shores, many had thought that the president would have had the urge to
be brought to speed on the happenings in the country by those he entrusted with
the responsibility of making the authoritative allocation of our collective
values while he was away convalescing.
So, to such people, the reason for the cancellation was
preposterous. What does it take for the president to receive a report? Is it no
longer a matter of scheduling? Besides, that week’s cancellation would be the
fifth time the president would be in the country but unavailable for the meeting
of the Council which consists of himself, his deputy, Head of Civil Service of
the Federation, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Staff
to the President and the ministers.
