Drama As Photographers, Cameramen ‘Abandon’ Buhari For Jonathan At Council of State Meeting

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.

Buhari led Jonathan as well as former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar and former Head of the Interim National Government Chief Ernest Shonekan to the meeting.

DailyTrust Newspaper Correspondent reports that 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.

This is the first meeting of Council of State to be attended by Jonathan since Buhari became president.

Buhari on Wednesday summoned the meeting of the Council of State with former President Goodluck Jonathan, interim President Ernest Shonekan and former military Head of State Abduulsalami Abubakar in attendance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that others at the meeting included state governors, the Chief Justice of the Federation, Mohammed Muhmud and former Chief Justices including Lawal Uwais, Dahiru Musdafa, Alfa Belgore and Alooma Muktar.

NAN reliably gathered that the meeting might discuss the confirmation of the acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris and appointment of new National Commissioners for the National Population Commission.

Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who are members of the Council, were not at the meeting when it started at about 11.08 a.m.

The first meeting of the council, under the current political dispensation, was held on October 21, 2015.