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

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, presided over the second meeting of the National Council of State since he assumed office, with notable absences recorded among Nigeria’s former leaders, including General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) and former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan.

The hybrid session, held inside the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, commenced around 1:30pm and brought together a cross-section of current and former national leaders, governors, and top government officials.

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

Among those physically present 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 several serving state governors.

Governors in 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), Uba Sani (Kaduna), and Alex Otti (Abia), while Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State joined the proceedings virtually.

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

The Council of State, established under Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), serves as the highest advisory body to the President on critical national issues, including security, the prerogative of mercy, national population census, appointments to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and matters relating to the maintenance of public order.

This Thursday’s meeting came amid growing anticipation over the appointment of a new INEC chairman following the early departure of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure ends next month

The vacancy at the commission, coupled with renewed concerns over insecurity in parts of the country and preparations for the 2027 general elections, was expected to feature prominently on the agenda.

Shortly after the Council of State meeting, the President was scheduled to chair another high-level session — the Nigeria Police Council meeting — at 2:00 p.m., focusing on police appointments, promotions, and operational strategies to strengthen internal security across the federation.

Thursday’s session marked the second Council of State meeting convened by President Tinubu since his assumption of office in May 2023. The first was held in August 2024, where similar consultations on economic reforms, national security, and institutional governance took centre stage.

By tradition, the Council of State serves as a unifying forum that enables the President to seek counsel from elder statesmen and institutional heads on matters that bear directly on Nigeria’s unity, security, and democratic stability.