Executive Council of states meeting: Obasanjo absent

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was consciously absent at the Council of State meeting, held at the Council Chambers to discuss the possible postponement of the general elections scheduled for February 14th and 28th.

The governors of Benue and Ebonyi were also absent neither did they send their deputies.
The Council of State consist of the President, the Vice President, all former presidents and heads of states, all former Chief Justices of Nigeria, the President of the State, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, all state governors, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
The body is saddled mainly with the responsibility of advising the president as it concerns the activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission, security issues, rectifying key appointments like that of the Inspector General of Police among others.
Those calling for election shifts base their call on INEC’s inability to distribute enough Permanent Voters Cards to all registered voters.
The former heads of State in attendance include, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Mohammedu Buhari, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan and Abdulsalami Abubakar.
This is the first Council of State to record the highest number of attendance.
Others in attendance were Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President, David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Aminu Tambuwal.
Former Chief Justices present were Alfa Belgore and Dahiru Musdafa
Governors in attendance were, Adamawa, Kano, Osun, Imo, Nasarawa, Sokoto, Anambra, Acting Governor Taraba! Niger and Lagos.
Others were Bayelsa, Kogi, Rivers, Kaduna, Enugu, Ogun, Kebbi, Zamfara , Kwara and Katsina.
Others were Ondo, Plateau, Cross Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa, Edo, Delta, Bauchi, Ekiti and Gombe
Deputy governors present were Abia, Borno, and Oyo states.
The early arrivals for the 11am meeting were all the All Progressive Congress (APC), governors, who were poised for a show down as they immediately went into side meetings. They were seen in circles putting their hands on each other’s shoulders discussing in hush tones.
One of them became hostile when he noticed journalists trying to listen in on their conversation, warning them to keep off.
There were also a lot of laughs and back slapping between the governors across party divides.
The governors of Ogun, Lagos and Dr. Doyin Okupe were seen laughing and back slapping.
On a lighter note, the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Ameachi, tried holding back the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, when the Secretary to the Governor of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, tried to called him to put his presentation in order before the arrival of the President and the former heads of states and presidents.
Amaechi was overheard accusing the NSA of overlooking the security challenges in his state.
He said what was happening in his state was not different from the insecurity in the north east.
He told the NSA, ” What you don’t know is that the moment you kill more than 100 persons you are facing ICC (International Criminal Court).
Buhari, who had arrived the Council Chambers at exactly 11:04, was immediately cornered by the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola and engaged in what was obviously the APC’s strategy as it regards the postponement.
Not long after, he was also surrounded by governors across parties divide all struggling to greet him.
He bluntly refused to go to the holding room, despite repeated efforts by the Anyim and the Principal Secretary, Hassan Tukur, that he is meant to walk in with the President and other past heads of state on the red carpet.
He went straight to his seat and continued his discussion with Aregbesola, it took the persuasive prowess of the senate president, the SGF, Principal Secretary and the State Chief of Protocol to finally convince him to agree to join them at about 11:08 a.m.
After Buhari agreed to join his colleagues, the Ogun, Osun, Rivers, the Deputy Governor of Borno, Zamfara were seen putting heads together and strategizing should the decision not go their way.

Executive Council of states meeting: Obasanjo absent