At the Aso Chamber of the State House in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu is currently presiding over the Federal Executive Council meeting.
At the administration’s tenth FEC meeting, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, Head of Service Dr. Folashade Yemi Esan, and at least forty-five ministers are sitting.
It was reported that the council will discuss and perhaps approve a memorandum about the “revamping of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund” during today’s meeting.
This occurred when the SGF brought up a change in item #3 on the agenda “Approval for the revamping of the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund” to the council members prior to the President’s arrival.
At the FEC’s inaugural meeting on August 28, 2023, Tinubu formally changed the meetings from Wednesdays to Mondays.
Article 144 (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) recognises the “Executive Council of the Federation” (the Federal Executive Council) as the “body of Ministers of the Government of the Federation, howsoever called, established by the President and charged with such responsibilities for the functions of government as the President may direct.”
The council’s duties include creating policies, carrying out government initiatives, and, in general, supporting the President in carrying out his executive duties.
The president, vice president, and the designated ministers make up the majority of the council, which is based in the Cabinet Affairs Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
According to Article 148 (2) of the Constitution states, the President is required to seek advice or act on the recommendations of other constitutionally mandated advisory bodies such as the Council of State, the National Security Council, and the Nigeria Police Council, among others, each of which meets occasionally to offer such advice and recommendations.
As the stated by the CAO, “the FEC meets weekly to discuss scheduled items and take decisions.”
In the thirty-one weeks since its inception, the Tinubu-led government has only convened ten times.
The council would only convene when there are memos to review, according to Mohammed Idris, the minister of information, who gave an explanation on October 16, 2023.
“The President has approved that Federal Executive Council meeting will now be happening on Mondays as against the traditional Wednesdays that we are used to.
“So FEC meetings have been moved to Mondays. Of course that does not mean that it has to happen every week.
“If there are no issues to discuss, it will be skipped to the next week,” Idris had explained.
