Osinbajo Presides Over 2nd FEC Meeting In 2 Weeks As Buhari Visits Saudi Arabia

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday presided over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Osinbajo presided over the meeting in the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari who is presently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, attending the third edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) being organized by Saudi’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The meeting had in attendance the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan and the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Jalil Arabi, among others.

It makes it the second consecutive FEC meeting to be presided over by the Vice President within two weeks.

Osinbajo had presided over the FEC meeting of October 23 while President Buhari was away in Sochi, Russia, attending the Russia-Africa Summit.

Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, President Buhari will on Wednesday participate in a plenary session in which President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and President Denis Sassou-Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville will discuss ‘‘What’s next for Africa? How will investment and trade transform the continent into the next great economic success story?’’

In a statement on Wednesday, presidential aide, Garba Shehu, said “the session, at the annual investment forum to discuss trends in the world economy and investment environment, will provide an opportunity for the Nigerian leader to highlight the importance of public and private organisations to work together to grow economies that create a prosperous society for all.

Shehu added that Buhari “will also discuss what his government is doing to ensure that majority of Nigerian citizens have an acceptable standard of living” at the conference being attended by world leaders, as well as business leaders, innovators and policymakers from the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

The presidential aide had also announced in a separate press statement that the president will embark on private visit to London after economic forum in Saudi Arabia

“At the end of the summit, President Buhari will on Saturday 2nd November, 2019, proceed to the United Kingdom on a private visit. He is expected to return to Nigeria on 17th November, 2019,” said the presidential aide.