FEC holds last session, approves N281bn projects

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (ret.), presided over a farewell meeting of the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday in Abuja with just four days left in his administration. He thanked the ministers for their dedication since 2015.

On the front lawn of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, he also delivered a brief thank-you speech to every member of the State House staff.

A statement signed late on Wednesday by Femi Adesina, the Special Advisor to the President on Media and Publicity, and a post-FEC briefing moderated by Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, later provided journalists with information on the six-hour meeting that had taken place behind closed doors.

After the ministers each had a chance to speak, Buhari commended them for their tenacity in upholding the objectives of his administration and urged support for the new Bola Tinubu administration, even from other departments of government.

“I am proud to say we gave our best,” said Buhari.

He directed all cabinet members to return to their ministries, tidy their desks and avoid last-minute rush that could jeopardize their years of work.

He stated, “In the cause of our years together, ranging from our newest addition to the oldest members of the team for the past seven and half years, we have differed on many issues.

“I urge that we understand that those positions were for the collective good, and no one should keep grievances or carry these differences forward.

“For those of us that will not directly be in government, I know that I am one of such, I ask that we continue to provide our support, in whatever way we can, if called upon by our great party, All Progressives Congress that gave us the platform to stand and we must continue to support it in every way we can,’’ the President said.

Buhari also ascribed the achievements of his regime to God’s intervention, saying “I also thank God for the strength and for keeping us together.’’

“I will also be happy to do the many things that I have not been able to since May 29th, 2015, one of such is my favourite pastime of taking care of my cattle.’’

Buhari thanked the State House staff members for “tolerating” him and assured them that he had not withheld any perks that were due to them over the previous eight years when they met with him in the forecourt following the meeting.

“I thank you very much for your cooperation. Thank you for tolerating us as a government and particularly for tolerating me as a leader.

“I tried to lead myself with a clear conscience. Whatever was constitutionally your right according to the conditions of service, this government hasn’t cheated you,” he said.

While this was going on, Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, gave a description of the atmosphere in the council chambers, stating that each cabinet member had been given a short period of time to give an overview of their tenure.

He also disproved the rumor that the FEC had been abolished, stating that the council was still in operation.

According to Mohammed, till May 29, 2023, Ministers are to continue working in their respective positions per the President’s instructions.

“The news that the Federal Executive Council has been dissolved is not correct. We’ve been directed by the President that we should all go back and return to our offices.

“So it is not true that the Federal Executive Council has been dissolved, it is still very much alive. And I’m sure that we’re going to work up till May 29. So please ignore the fake news,” he explained.

The minister revealed that ministers adopted minutes of the two extraordinary FEC meetings as they took turns to give their farewell speeches.

“It’s instructive to note that each and every minister present today, and I’m not aware of any who was absent, was given between two to five minutes to make his or her own valedictory speech and I think largely everybody commended Mr President and thanked the President for the opportunity to serve the country at this level.

“Many also took the opportunity to reel out what his or her own ministry or department had achieved over the last eight years. There are about three categories of ministers; there are ministers that came in 2015 and us who were retained till 2023. There are ministers that came in 2019 and have been there till 2023 and there are the last batch of ministers that came in about nine months ago.

“So everybody made his or her own valedictory speech, depending on how long he or she had been occupying the position. But generally, I think it was just a glorious moment for all the ministers to thank the President, thank their colleagues and also give gratitude to God, that a journey that started in 2015 is ending very well in 2023,” Mohammed explained.

“Everybody, including the Chief of Staff, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Service, the Vice President, all made their valedictory speeches and then the President responded, and I think, largely, he thanked all of us for our contributions and prayed for us in our next endeavour.

“He reiterated the fact that we should all go back to our offices so that we can carry out the assignments and tasks assigned to us in respect of the transition program”, he added

Also at the FEC on Wednesday approved N281bn worth of projects for the Ministry of Power including the provision of a new power plant for Daura, Buhari’s hometown.