Gowon, Obasanjo, Jonathan Absent As Tinubu Chairs Council Of State Meeting

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, chaired the second meeting of the National Council of State since assuming office.

Still, the session was marked by the absence of some of Nigeria’s most prominent former leaders.

Former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, alongside ex-Head of State General, Yakubu Gowon (retd.), were notably missing from the hybrid meeting held inside the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting, which commenced at about 1:30 p.m., brought together sitting and past national leaders, state governors, and top government officials to deliberate on critical national matters.

While Obasanjo and Jonathan were absent, former military rulers, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd.) and General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) participated virtually, beaming into the closed-door deliberations.

Those physically present included Vice President Kashim Shettima, Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).

A sizeable number of governors also turned up for the meeting, among them: 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), Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Uba Sani (Kaduna), and Alex Otti (Abia).

Anambra Governor, Charles Soludo, joined virtually.

Also in attendance were many serving and retired Chief Justices of Nigeria, including Muhammad Tanko, Mohammed Belgore, Walter Onnoghen, Olukayode Ariwoola, and the incumbent, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

The Council of State, established under Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution, is an advisory body that counsels the President on issues such as the appointment of the INEC Chairman, the National Population Commission, and the National Judicial Council, as well as matters relating to national security and governance.

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