Buhari, Babangida others attend Council of State meeting, Obasanjo absent

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday in Abuja presided over the Council of State meeting, where national issues bordering on the nation’s security and the forthcoming general elections were expected to be deliberated upon.

All former Presidents and Heads of State — Shehu Shagari, Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Interim National Government President Ernest Shonekan — except Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, were in attendance.

Other participants are Senate President, David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, and former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Musdafa Belgore.

Governors of Anambra, Kogi, Katsina, Kano, Osun, Imo, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Niger, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kwara, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Cross River, Enugu and Delta states are also in attendance.

Also present are Govs. of Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, acting governor of Taraba while Abia, Oyo and Borno were represented by their deputy governors.

The National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), FCT Minister Bala Muhammed and the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation Mohammed Adoke are also attending.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, [INEC], Attahiru Jega, and some of his Commissioners were also seen at the vicinity of the meeting which started around 11.56 a.m.

(NAN)