Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, were among living former Nigerian leaders who on Tuesday attended a meeting of the Council of State, held inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Council consists of the President (as the Chairman), Vice President, all former Presidents or former Heads of State, all former Chief Justices of Nigeria, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, all state governors and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
That was the last time President Goodluck Jonathan would be presiding over the meeting, since he will be handing over to Buhari on May 29.
As at the time the meeting started at around 11am, former Nigerian leaders in attendance included Buhari, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan and Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar.
Obasanjo however joined the meeting at about 12:15pm.
Obasanjo and Buhari had been avoiding most of the Council’s meetings under Jonathan’s leadership.
The President-elect however made a surprise attendance at the last meeting held on February 5.
At that meeting, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, briefed members on preparation for the general elections.
Council members had then been divided over the desirability or otherwise of postponing the general elections from the earlier scheduled dates of February 14 and 28.
