VP Shettima Presides Over NEC As Rivers Sole Administrator Makes Surprise Appearance

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday chaired the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where key economic issues affecting the country were discussed.

In an unexpected development, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Ibok-Ete Ibas, was present at the meeting.

The meeting also had in attendance Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), alongside several other governors including Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara, Monday Okpebholo of Edo, and Bassey Otu of Cross River.

Deputy governors from various states were also part of the deliberations.

The NEC, constitutionally chaired by the Vice President, serves as a strategic platform where state executives and federal authorities jointly examine and proffer solutions to the nation’s pressing economic challenges.

One of the key matters under deliberation is the escalating security crisis affecting various regions of the country, with Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, and Kwara states among the worst-hit.

The council is anticipated to evaluate current security measures and examine the level of agreement among states regarding the proposed introduction of state police forces.

At the previous National Economic Council (NEC) session, held on February 20, the government unveiled the Nutrition 774 Initiative — a nationwide effort aimed at combating malnutrition across all local government areas.

The decisions reached at the ongoing meeting are expected to influence joint federal and state efforts in addressing security challenges, driving economic development, and strengthening governance structures across Nigeria.