President not ill – Lai Mohammed
By Ibrahim Ramalan
Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday failed to show up at the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
In his absence, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo presided at 11.00 am when the meeting was scheduled to commence, and called for the National Anthem.
Yesterday’s meeting was the first time Osinbajo would preside since the President returned from his medical vacation in London, United Kingdom.
Our correspondent gathered that Osinbajo, like the ministers, sat all awaiting the President’s arrival, “only to receive an urgent message that the lot to preside at the meeting fell on him.”
President Buhari, since returning from his medical vacation, has been receiving guests at the Aso Villa and performing other official functions, including the recent launch of the administration’s Economic Growth and Recovery Plan.
But his non appearance outside the Villa has remained a source of worry to some Nigerians.
For instance, the President, who was billed to commission a training exercise at Sambisa Forest, was represented by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali.
His absence at yesterday’s FEC meeting further heightened anxiety among Nigerians.
However, some other observers believe that his non public appearance outside the seat of power should not be a surprise after all, as Buhari, had on arrival, lauded his vice’s loyalty and conduct of the nation’s affairs, urging him to carry on.
Giving insight into the development, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told State House correspondents that the President was absent at the meeting because he was attending to other pressing issues.
He said the President’s absence had nothing to do with ill-health or sickness as being speculated in some quarters.
He 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 minds of people. I just want to make this clear, Mr. President is in town.
“Mr. President is attending to other issues. Mr. President looked at the agenda, out was a very light agenda and decided that the Vice President should preside. It’s 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 and is not.
“We are not surprised that people will be wondering; is he ill again? He is not ill, he is not sick. I am sure that later in the day or tomorrow morning, he will be back in the office. I just want to clear that misconception. It’s not unusual even if Mr. President is hale and hearty and everything is going on well, for the VP 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 Secretary to the Government of the Federation 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.”
