Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was conspicuously absent from the Council of State meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, which was presided over by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday (yesterday, August 13).
This marks the first Council of State meeting under Tinubu’s administration.
The meeting was attended by former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan in person, while Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar joined virtually.
The Council of State, a body that advises the President on key policy decisions, also includes the Vice President, Senate President, and other high-ranking officials.
This meeting came shortly after nationwide protests over economic challenges and the removal of fuel subsidies.
The protests which started peacefully turned violent along the line, leading to deaths and destruction of mostly government property.
President Tinubu convened the meeting to address urgent national concerns, bringing together former leaders and top government officials.
A statement about the meeting had noted, “President Bola Tinubu has summoned the Council of State, including Gowon, IBB, Abdulsalami, Obasanjo, Jonathan, Buhari, and others, for a meeting today.”
The Council of State is composed of the President, who serves as Chairman; the Vice President, who is the Deputy Chairman; all former Presidents and Heads of Government of the Federation; all former Chief Justices of Nigeria; the President of the Senate; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; all state governors; and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.
