By Henry Ojelu

The Northern Progressive Forum, NPF, has criticised what it described as the irregular convening of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, warning that the trend is slowing governance and undermining policy execution at the federal level.

In a statement on Tuesday, Chairman of the forum, Alhaji Hassan Mustapha, said the pace of FEC meetings has become “worrisomely tied” to the physical presence of President Bola Tinubu, noting that council sittings often stall whenever the President travels out of the country.

“It has become a predictable pattern that once the President is out of the country, the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting comes to a halt. This raises serious concerns about the continuity of governance,” the Forum said.

The Forum, echoing concerns from civil society organisations and contractor associations, questioned the implications of such disruptions on budget implementation and project delivery.

“Some stakeholders now argue that the slow pace of FEC engagements suggests either a lack of funds or absence of projects to execute. If that is not the case, then Nigerians deserve to know why a national budget is presented without commensurate execution machinery,” the statement added.

The group also raised questions about the constitutional and functional role of the Vice President, asking whether the office is being underutilised in the day-to-day running of government.

Vice President Kashim Shettima recently presided over a FEC meeting for the first time since the inauguration of the Tinubu administration on May 29, 2025, during which the 2026 Appropriation Bill was approved. Traditionally, the Vice President chairs the National Economic Council (NEC), but does not routinely preside over FEC sessions.

The Forum argued that governance should not be personalised, insisting that institutional continuity must be prioritised.

“Government is a continuum. The Vice President should be empowered to preside over FEC meetings whenever the President is unavailable. This is necessary to ensure that critical decisions on contracts and policies are not delayed,” it stated.