The Council of State, which includes former Presidents, Heads of State, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and State governors, has expressed strong support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
This came after the Council labeled recent protests against hunger and bad governance as attempts at regime change.
The vote of confidence was confirmed during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.
The meeting was presided over by President Tinubu, who was joined by former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan in person, while Generals Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar participated virtually. However, former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida were absent, and no reasons for their absence were provided.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum briefed the media after the meeting. He said, “We had a very robust meeting. The highlight was the unanimous vote of confidence on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Council members, especially from the NGF, were pleased with the presentations by Federal Executive Council members.”
Abdulrazaq added, “The NGF also passed a vote of confidence on Mr. President and wished him well, praying for guidance.”
Dr. Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Mineral Development, praised President Tinubu for resisting attempts to forcibly change the government. He said, “The National Security Adviser briefed the Council on the security situation, especially regarding recent protests. The Council sees these protests not as genuine but as a movement to change the regime by force. We believe any change should come through elections, not insurrection.”
Alake also noted that the Council of State was briefed on the country’s security situation before, during, and after the protests. He emphasized that, “The Council thanked Nigerians for resisting unconstitutional moves to change the government. Any dissatisfaction with the current administration should be addressed through elections, not violence.”
Finance Minister Wale Edun also spoke about the economy. He said, “We updated the Council on the economy and the progress made under President Tinubu’s leadership. The economy is growing, and the balance of payments is in surplus. Inflation is high but slowing down, and foreign investment is recovering. We are optimistic about the economic outlook and the potential for growth.”
Edun highlighted that, “The service sector, particularly in software and internet services, presents significant opportunities for young Nigerians. We are committed to continuing efforts to improve living conditions and support economic growth.”
