Aisha Alhassan Spotted at the FEC Meeting with Buhari, Others in Aso Rock (Photos)

The embattled Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, was at Wednesday’s meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) after she arrived at 10:45am for the meeting slated for 11:00a.m which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

Recall that Alhassan had, in an interview with the Hausa Service of the BBC last week, disclosed her preference for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar against Buhari for the 2019 presidential contest.

 

The former gubernatorial candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), in Taraba State, in 2015 elections, who is still a cabinet member of the current administration, had maintained that she will not support President Muhammadu Buhari if he decides to run for Presidential elections in 2019.

 

 

Wednesday’s council meeting will be her first since she made her preference for the 2019 public.

 

She was the centre of attention at the Federal Executive Council meeting, and contrary to the expectations of newsmen, she was not snubbed by her colleagues.

 

Before entering the Council Chamber, she went to greet the Minister of Mines and Steel, Kayode Fayemi, who was standing with the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari and the Permanent Secretary, Jalil Arabi at the entrance of the meeting hall.

 

 

Alhassan, had on entering the Council Chambers, went round exchanging pleasantries with some of her colleagues already seated in the chamber.

 

Photo journalists and cameramen had a field day taking her shots as she moved round the hall.

 

She had first gone to the right side of the council chambers where her colleagues seated in alphabetical order facing the left side where her seat was located to exchange pleasantries. At the time she stepped in, the hall was not full.

 

 

Among those she greeted were the Minister of State for Health, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

 

Others included the Acting SGF, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Minister of Finance.

 

She conferred with her colleagues around her seat before she stood up headed the direction of  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who had just walked in.

 

She spent few minutes chatting with Osinbajo who was listening and nodding his head, their chat ended when President Muhammadu Buhari walked into the Council Chambers at exactly 11:00a.m for the commencement of the meeting.