Goodluck Jonathan & Abdulsalami Abubakar joins others at Council of State meeting presided over by Buhari

The immediate past president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday joined other former and present leaders in attending the Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

This is the first time Jonathan will be attending the meeting since leaving office in May, 2015.

There was a mild drama today at the Council of State meeting as photographers and cameramen ‘abandoned’ President Muhammadu Buhari for his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan.

The cameramen and photographers focused on Jonathan for about one minute while Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, governors and other officials in attendance remained standing.

Some former Presidents and Heads of State who were at the meeting when it started around 11:07am included: Abdulsalami Abubakar and Ernest Shonekan. It is coming on the heels of the current economic recession.

Meanwhile, former leaders who were conspicuously absent at the meeting include: Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Shehu Shagari, Yakubu Gowon.

As at the time the meeting started, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara were not yet around.

Among the state governors at the meeting include: those of Rivers, Borno, Niger, Imo, Cross River, Taraba, Yobe, Benue, Bauchi, Enugu, Kwara, Adamawa.

Others are Abia, Sokoto, Kaduna, Lagos, Kogi, Plateau, Jigawa, Kebbi, Katsina.

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, at the meeting include: Lawal Uwais, Mariam Muktar, Idris Kutigi, Alfa Belgore.