The
National Council of State meeting being chaired by President Goodluck
Jonathan will take place on Tuesday (today), almost 11 months after
the last one was held.
The council which has Vice-President
Namadi Sambo as its deputy chairman is made up of all former
presidents and Heads of Government, all former Chief Justices of
Nigeria; President of the Senate; Speaker of the House of
Representatives; all the 36 state governors and the Attorney-General of
the Federation.
Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, former
military dictators, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) and Maj.- Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had been staying away from the meetings.
Media reports had it that some
governors had been uncomfortable with the failure of the President to
convene a meeting of the council to address some pressing national
issues.
The last time the meeting was held was
on March 12, 2013 when a former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diepreye
Alamieyeseigha, and some other former state officials were granted
pardon.
Our correspondent learnt on Monday that
issues bordering on the planned national conference and the 2015
elections would form part of the discussions at the meeting.
