JUST-IN: Gowon, Obasanjo, Jonathan Absent As Tinubu Chairs Council Of State Meeting

President Bola Tinubu, connected Thursday, presided implicit the 2nd gathering of the National Council of State since helium assumed office, with notable absences recorded among Nigeria’s erstwhile leaders, including General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) and erstwhile Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan.

The hybrid session, held wrong the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, commenced astir 1:30pm and brought unneurotic a cross-section of existent and erstwhile nationalist leaders, governors, and apical authorities officials.

Former subject Heads of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd) and General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), joined the deliberations virtually.

Among those physically contiguous were Vice President Kashim Shettima; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and respective serving authorities governors.

Governors successful attendance included AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano), Nasir Idris (Kebbi), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Uba Sani (Kaduna), and Alex Otti (Abia), portion Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State joined the proceedings virtually.

Also successful attendance were erstwhile Chief Justices of Nigeria, including Muhammad Tanko, Mohammed Belgore, Walter Onnoghen, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, and the existent Chief Justice, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

The Council of State, established nether Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), serves arsenic the highest advisory assemblage to the President connected captious nationalist issues, including security, the prerogative of mercy, nationalist colonisation census, appointments to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and matters relating to the attraction of nationalist order.

This Thursday’s gathering came amid increasing anticipation implicit the assignment of a caller INEC president pursuing the aboriginal departure of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ends adjacent month

The vacancy astatine the commission, coupled with renewed concerns implicit insecurity successful parts of the state and preparations for the 2027 wide elections, was expected to diagnostic prominently connected the agenda.

Shortly aft the Council of State meeting, the President was scheduled to seat different high-level league — the Nigeria Police Council gathering — astatine 2:00 p.m., focusing connected constabulary appointments, promotions, and operational strategies to fortify interior information crossed the federation.

Thursday’s league marked the 2nd Council of State gathering convened by President Tinubu since his presumption of bureau successful May 2023. The archetypal was held successful August 2024, wherever akin consultations connected economical reforms, nationalist security, and organization governance took centre stage.

By tradition, the Council of State serves arsenic a unifying forum that enables the President to question counsel from elder statesmen and organization heads connected matters that carnivore straight connected Nigeria’s unity, security, and democratic stability.