By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Tinubu is currently presiding over the National Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa.
It was gathered that the President is expected to present his nominees for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairmanship during the meeting.
The development came after the recent exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose decade-long tenure officially concluded this week.
It was gathered that Tinubu will present three nominees for the Council’s consideration — Prof. Joash Amupitan, Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman, and Prof. Lai Olurede.
The New Diplomat reports that the National Council of State comprises former presidents, ex-chief justices, governors, and the leadership of the National Assembly.
The meeting is being attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The Council of State, established under Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution, advises the President on key national issues, including the appointment of the INEC Chairman, the National Population Commission, and the National Judicial Council members.
The New Diplomat also reports that the ongoing meeting is the second under the Tinubu administration, the first having been convened in August 2024 amid nationwide protests.
The president is also expected to brief the Council on the economy, security, and other national matters before forwarding his final recommendations to the Senate for confirmation.
