Tinubu convenes FEC today 49 days after inaugural meeting

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will today preside over the second Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Presidential spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, confirmed this to journalists on Sunday night.

Daily Trust had exclusively reported last Thursday that the decision of the president not to reconvene the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting 44 days after the inaugural cabinet session held on August 28 had continued to raise questions on whether or not this could affect governance.

President Tinubu had on August 21, sworn in and inaugurated 45 ministers who attended the maiden cabinet meeting at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja on August 28.

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The three ministers recently confirmed by the Senate – Balarabe Abbas Lawal (Kaduna), Jamila Bio Ibrahim (Kwara) and Ayodele Olawande (Ondo) – are expected to join the meeting today, taking number of ministers to 48.

Daily Trust learnt that the meeting to be convened around 12pm would among issues discuss those approvals the president already granted some ministries.

Also expected at the FEC meeting are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); the National Security Adviser; the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; the Chief of Staff to the President, all the ministers; and some other executive principal officers.

Vice President Kashim Shettima will, however, not be sitting in today’s meeting, having left Abuja for China yesterday to represent the president at the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Daily Trust gathered that the government had settled for Monday for FEC meetings, a clear departure from what was obtained under the previous administrations.

Regular FEC meetings during the former President Muhammadu Buhari were held weekly on Wednesdays.

It was further learnt that FEC might not be weekly to enable the ministers time to deliver on the assignments before them.

When contacted last week, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, said President Tinubu had a different idea of the functions of the Federal Executive Council.

The presidential aide, who said the ministers had been working and consulting with the president, explained that the meeting would be held but it would not follow the usual traditional way of coming every week to announce contract awards.