…Buhari, Jonathan attend, OBJ absent as Tinubu holds first council of State meeting
The National Council of State has insisted that any change in government in Nigeria must follow constitutional procedures.
The council also passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu over his “achievements” in the last year since he assumed office.
The National Council of State reacting to the recent #EndBadGovernance Protests frowned upon the call by some sections of the protesters for the resignation of President Bola Tinubu.
Those who attended the meeting physically were former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, while former Heads of State, Generals Gowon Yakubu and Abdulsalami Abubakar joined the meeting virtually.
State governors, some deputy governors, Ministers, former Chief Justices of the Federation, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the National Security Adviser were among those who attended the meeting.
Briefing State House Correspondents shortly after the meeting, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara State, said the Council commended the President for policy decisions he has taken since assuming office.
He said at a separate executive meeting between the Governors and President Tinubu after the National Council of State meeting, the governors also passed a vote of confidence in the President.
The Council received a report from the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu on the security situation in the country and a preliminary report on the recent protests.
The Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, who joined the Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq to brief State House Correspondents after the council meeting said the protests was viewed as a disguised attempt at disrupting the activities of the current administration.
“The council thanked Nigerians at large for resisting any unconstitutional move to change government,” Alake said.
Buhari, Jonathan Present
The meeting which is being held at the Council Chamber of the State House Abuja has in attendance former presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.
Former Heads of State, Generals Gowon Yakubu, and Abdulsalami Abubakar are joining virtually.
Also present for the meeting are the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Governors Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Usman Ododo of Kogi State, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Abba Yusuf of Kano State, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo state, Kefas Agbu of Taraba State, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq of Kwara State and Umar Namadi of Jigawa State are among the governors present as of the time the meeting started.
Governors Alex Otti of Abia State, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa states joined virtually, while the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is attending physically.
Former chief justices Alfa Belgore and Mahmud Muhammed are also in attendance.
Others present are the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy Wale Edun and Minister of Works, David Umahi, among others.
This is the first National Council of State meeting since President Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
The meeting is coming days after the #EndBadGovernance protest which saw many Nigerians taking to the streets to demand good governance in the face of economic hardship occasioned by the removal of subsidies and high cost of living.
The National Council of State is an important organ of the government that advises the executive arm of government on policymaking.
