The inaugural Council of State meeting convened by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, commended Nigerians for resisting a plot for an unconstitutional change of government during the #EndBadGovernance protests.
Persecondnews reports that members of the Council also passed a vote of confidence in President Tinubu.
The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, which was attended physically by former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari at the State House Council Chambers.
Two former Heads of State, retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon and retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, joined the meeting virtually alongside the governors of Abia, Adamawa, and Akwa Ibom States.
According to Alake, retired AIG Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, briefed the council on the events leading up to and following the recent protests, characterizing them as a “movement to effect a change of regime by force” that Nigerians resisted.
He said the council thanked Nigerians for resisting any unconstitutional attempt to change the government, emphasising that if anyone is dissatisfied with the current administration, they should wait for elections to cast their vote.
Alake said the NSA reassured that security agencies are ready to secure Nigeria’s territorial integrity and protect the country’s democracy, stating that any change of government must be through the ballot box and not unconstitutional means.
He said: “Of course, at the end of it, matters of state were discussed in a robust manner and frank manner, and the National Security Adviser also was on hand to present the security situation in the country.
“He did inform the Council of State about the pre, during, and post event of the last protests, which I do not call a protest.
“I call it a movement to effect a change of regime by force, which was also resisted.
And so, the council thanked Nigerians at large for resisting any unconstitutional move to change government. If anybody is not satisfied with the government or any current administration, there is always an election coming, so you wait for the election and cast your vote.
“Any change of government has to be through the ballots and not through the barrel of the gun or through insurrection, or through any other unconstitutional means. Only through the ballot box can any government be changed.
“And he reassured on the security readiness of all security agencies in the country to secure our territorial integrity and to protect Nigeria’s democracy.”
Alake pointed out that seven ministers made presentations at the council on the progress, prospects, and challenges in their respective ministries, focussing on the Renewed Hope Agenda’s emphasis on economic diversification.
He added: “A lot of issues were exhaustively discussed at the meeting. And of course, you know that, apart from the former heads of state, the constitutional composition of the Council of State includes all governors, security adviser, the Attorney General, and the rest. So the governors were all in attendance as well.
“And some of us ministers were invited to make presentations on our road map on what we have been able to achieve, the prospects, and the challenges in our various ministries.
More to follow…
Author
Leave a comment