According to Vanguard , For the second time in a row, President
Muhammadu Buhari stayed away from his office
on thursday again.
The President who was expected to chair the
Wednesday edition of the Federal Executive
Council, FEC meeting at the Presidential Villa,
Abuja failed to turn up.
His Vice Osinbajo functioned his place.
The reasons for the president’s absence have
largely remained unknown as there was no
official position on that.
While speculations were rife that he had fallen
sick, the spokesman of the government and
Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed after
the meeting told State House correspondents
that the president was not ill.
Mohammed said that the President delegated
the power to preside on Osinbajo having
considered the agenda of the meeting light.
He added that the president was also in the
country and was attending to “other issues”.
The Information Minister however assured that
the president who was at his official residency
would resume duties in his office later that
Wednesday or Thursday (yesterday).
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 mind 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, it
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 is 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 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.”
Meanwhile, it was learnt that the President was
not in the office on Thursday.
Besides, there was no known function he
attended yesterday.
It will be recalled that the President was flown
to London, United Kingdom January 19 on a
medical vacation.