The Council of State has officially expressed its support for President Bola Tinubu by passing a resounding “vote of confidence.” This meeting marks the first gathering since Tinubu took office on May 29 of last year and was graced by the presence of former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan.
Notably, former leaders Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar participated in the discussions via a virtual platform.
In a briefing for State House reporters following the meeting, Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, along with Kwara State Governor Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman, provided insights into the council’s proceedings.
Alake revealed that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, delivered a comprehensive report addressing the country’s security challenges. He noted the council’s appreciation for Nigerians, who stood firm against any unconstitutional attempts to alter the government during the #EndBadGovernance protests.
Alake remarked, “The discussions were candid and thorough. The National Security Adviser presented an overview of the security landscape in the country, detailing the events surrounding the recent protests, which I prefer to call a movement aimed at forcibly changing the regime—a movement that was successfully resisted.”
He continued, “The council expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their resilience during this period. If anyone finds themselves dissatisfied with the current administration, they should simply await the upcoming elections to cast their vote; change must come through the electoral process rather than through violence or insurrection.”
The NSA reassured the council about the tight security measures in place across the nation, emphasizing that efforts to undermine our hard-won democracy would not be tolerated. “Any transition in government has to occur via the ballot, not through unlawful means,” he stated firmly.
On the other hand, Abdulrahman confirmed that the council unanimously passed a vote of confidence in President Tinubu. He stated, “The highlight of the meeting was the collective endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The members, particularly those from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, expressed satisfaction with the presentations made by members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC). Following this, there was an executive session where fruitful discussions took place between the Governors’ Forum and the President.”
