A report by Daily Trust indicates that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has not convened the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting 44 days after the inaugural cabinet session on August 28.
According to the report, this has continued to raise questions on whether or not this could affect governance.
The FEC, which the president chairs, is the cabinet of the Federal Government of Nigeria and part of the executive branch.
The constitutional role of the FEC, as contained in the Ministers’ Statutory Powers and Duties Act, is to serve as an advisory body to the president.
FEC meetings were held weekly by past administrations.
However, a top presidency source quoted in the report hinted that the FEC meeting was being put on hold owing to a ministerial retreat that had not yet occurred.
The source said each minister had been given a document that specified their mandates and targets.
On why the ministerial retreat has not taken place, the official said all 48 ministers were expected to internalize the content of the documents before the retreat.
“The ministers ought to have started a retreat. And they have been given some materials which they want them to internalize before the retreat,” the source said.
When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, said President Tinubu has a different idea of the functions of the Federal Executive Council.
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According to the presidential aide, the fact that FEC meetings have not been held does not stop governance.
“There is more to FEC than contract award, and the most important thing is that cabinet is in check and minsters are busy working, and there is a consultation with the president. So, lack of FEC meeting doesn’t stop anything,” he said.
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