Former President Olusegun Obasanjo did not attend the first Council of State meeting held by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday. The meeting, , included former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, with Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar participating virtually.
The Council of State is a key advisory body in Nigeria, comprising former Presidents, Vice Presidents, Chief Justices, and top government officials. Its primary role is to provide advice to the sitting President on major policy decisions. The Council also includes the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and all State Governors.
The absence of Obasanjo, a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, was particularly noticeable as the meeting took place amidst significant national challenges. The gathering is President Tinubu’s first as the leader of the country. The meeting happened shortly after widespread protests erupted across Nigeria.
Dubbed the EndBadGovernance protests, the protests, driven by economic hardship and the recent removal of fuel subsidies, have brought to light the growing concerns among Nigerians about the rising cost of living and inflation. These demonstrations underscore the urgency of the issues the Council of State is expected to discuss.
According to a statement from the Presidential Villa, the meeting aims to tackle important topics such as food security, national security, and economic policies. The session was also attended by 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.
Also present were several State Governors including 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, and many others. Governors Alex Otti of Abia State, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State joined the meeting virtually.
