The Council of State has warned that regime change through unconstitutional means will not be tolerated.
This comes on the heels of the termination of the “end bad governance” protest, which engulfed parts of the country.
This is in addition to the Council of State passing a vote of confidence on the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The Council of State, chaired by the president and vice president, includes all living former heads of state and presidents, former chief justices of Nigeria, the Senate president, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, all state governors, and the attorney-general of the federation (AGF).
This body advises the executive on policy-making.
Speaking to State House correspondents after the first inaugural Council of State meeting of this administration, Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake said a notable segment of the meeting was the security briefing by the national security adviser (NSA).
He discussed the recent unrest, framing it as an unconstitutional attempt to force a regime change, which was successfully thwarted.
Alake said the NSA reassured the council of the nation’s security readiness, emphasizing that any change of governmen should occur through the ballot box, not through force.
He said, “And, of course, at the end of it, matters of state were discussed in a robust and frank manner. The National Security Adviser was also on hand to present the security situation of the country, and he informed the Council of State about the pre-, during, and post-events of the last protest, which I do not call a protest; I call it a movement to effect a change of regime by force, which was also resisted.”
Alake said the Council thanked Nigerians for resisting any unconstitutional move to cause a change of government.
“If anybody is not satisfied with the government, any current administration, there is always an election coming, so you wait for the election and cast your vote.
“So after the NSA’s briefing, generally, he allayed everybody’s fears and spoke on the tightness of the security around the country. He also reassured all and sundry that nobody will be allowed to truncate our hard-earned democracy, and he reassured us of the security readiness of all security agencies in the country, to secure our territorial integrity and protect Nigeria’s democracy.”
The Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), who was represented by its chairman, Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaqe of Kwara State, expressed satisfaction with the federal presentations and reiterated their confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership.
He said, “The high note of the meeting was the unanimous passage of a vote of confidence on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“Members, especially those of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, were satisfied with the presentation by the members of the Federal Executive Council. After that meeting, there was an executive session between members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and the president, and frank and fruitful discussions were held between both parties. I’m glad to say we’re on the right track. In the same vein, members of the NGF also, like the members of the Council of State, passed a vote of confidence on the President.
“We also wish him well and pray for God’s guidance for him.”
Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun presented an optimistic economic outlook, noting growth in key areas such as trade balance, exchange rate stabilisation, and foreign direct investment.
He pointed to a notable increase in non-oil exports and identified the service sector, including software and accounting services, as potential growth areas for the economy.
“In particular, we emphasized the service sector, such as software services, computer services, accounting services, and personnel services, which can be provided by young Nigerians staying in Nigeria and offering services through the internet and telephones. Outsourcing in a global context is a significant area.
“So, in a nutshell, we reported good progress being made and that efforts will continue to ensure that interventions and measures to ameliorate the high cost of living for individuals, the agricultural sector, industry, and small-scale businesses are fully implemented.
“And based on that, we reported an optimistic outlook for the Nigerian economy and society, as a result of prospects for economic growth and progress,” he said.
Former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari attended the meeting physically, while former Heads of State General Yakubu Gowon and General Abdulsalami Abubakar participated virtually.
