Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

President Muhmmadu Buhari is currently hosting a virtual Council of State meeting, with former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, being the only former president physically present.

The Nigerian Council of State is an organ of the Nigerian Government. Its functions include advising the executive on policy making.

The Council of State comprises of  the President, who is the Chairman; the Vice-President, who is the Deputy Chairman; all former Presidents of the Federation and all former Heads of the Government of the Federation; all former Chief Justices of Nigeria; the President of the Senate; the Speaker of the House of Representatives; all the Governors of the states of the Federation; and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The meeting, which started at 11:00am, also has the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; and the the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, physically present.

Those attending the meeting virtually as at the take off of time  are former Military President General Ibrahim Babangida; Chief Earnest Shonekan and General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Also sighted on video are some former Chief Justices of Nigeria (CJN).

The last meetings in attendance physically are the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and the Minister for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Mohammed Bello.

Details later…