The Federal Executive Council is holding its first special session on Thursday to honour former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on July 13, 2025, at the age of 82.

The meeting drew an expanded roster of the country’s political branches and the late leader’s family, just two days after his burial in his hometown of Daura.

The meeting, slated for 5:00 p.m., began at 5:27 p.m. when President Bola Tinubu entered the Council Chamber.

Buhari’s son, Yusuf Buhari, led three of his siblings into the hall at about 5:15 p.m., PUNCH Online observed.

The Expanded FEC Meeting is being attended by the leadership of the National Assembly, the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Judiciary, and representatives of the family of the late former President.

Thursday’s meeting, the first such commemorative session since Tinubu took office in 2023, was convened after state funeral rites for Buhari in Daura earlier in the week and a fidau (third-day prayer) observance in the late leader’s hometown.

Tinubu had initially planned to host the cabinet tribute on Tuesday, but deferred it to allow himself and other top officials to attend the burial.

According to the official order of proceedings circulated to ministers and sighted by our correspondent, tributes in honour of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari were to be delivered in the following sequence:

Senate President Godswill Akpabio; House Speaker Abbas Tajudeen; Chief Justice of Nigeria Kudirat Kekere-Ekun; Nigerian Governors Forum chair and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo; Budget and Economic Planning Minister Abubakar Atiku Bagudu; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Ali Pate; Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake; Women Affairs Minister Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Works Minister David Umahi; and finally Yusuf Muhammadu Buhari speaking for the family.

Tinubu, last week, ordered national flags to fly at half-mast across the country and summoned a special FEC meeting in Buhari’s honour as part of full state honours for the former leader.

Buhari, 82, died in a London hospital on July 13 after a prolonged illness, the Presidency said.

His body was flown back to Nigeria and received with military honours in Katsina State before being taken to Daura, where he was laid to rest on July 15 in line with Islamic tradition.

Tinubu, in earlier condolences, hailed Buhari as “a patriot, a soldier and a statesman” whose life was defined by duty, honour and a deep commitment to Nigeria’s unity and progress. (The PUNCH)

•President Bola Tinubu presiding over the special FEC meeting in honour of late President Muhammadu Buhari…. Today