Anxiety As Jonathan, Ministers Hold Last Federal Executive Council Meeting

Anxiety on Tuesday gripped ministers and other top government officials in Abuja ahead of the last meeting of the Federal Executive Council under the Goodluck Jonathan administration scheduled to hold on Wednesday (today).

The apprehension was triggered by a report (not by The PUNCH) credited to the Minister of Information, Patricia Akwashiki, that President Goodluck Jonathan would dissolve his cabinet during a “valedictory session” of the FEC on Wednesday (today).

But Akwashiki on Tuesady refuted the report and urged the general public to disregard it as “false and malicious.”

The minister, in a statement by her Press Secretary, Joseph Mutah, said at no time did she speak to journalists on the dissolution of the FEC by the President.

Akwashiki said she was surprised that a news report, which initially quoted an unnamed minister from the South- West, ended up crediting her as having made the “tendentious comment.”

The FEC is the highest decision-making body of the Federal Government and it consists of the President, the Vice President, all ministers, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the National Security Adviser, the Head of Service of the Federation and some top presidential aides.

The council members meet every Wednesday to take decisions on national issues.

Since the tenure of the current administration expires on May 29, the council’s valedictory session has been fixed for Wednesday (today).

A minister, who spoke with our correspondent on the report that Jonathan might disband the FEC during its session on Wednesday( today) said he was not aware that such would take place.

He said that he was aware that some of his colleagues had been making contacts in order to confirm if such would happen during the meeting.

The minister said, “I am not aware that the council will be dissolved. Some of my colleagues had actually called me to find out. Since I don’t have any information on it, I am also still reaching out to know the true situation.

“The truth is however even if it happens, it won’t meet any of us unawares.”