President Bola Tinubu is currently presiding over a meeting of the Council of State at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he is expected to present nominees for consideration as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The hybrid session, which began at 1:29 p.m. on Thursday, comes 48 hours after Prof. Mahmood Yakubu bowed out as INEC Chairman, ending his 10-year tenure that spanned two administrations and three general elections.
According to a draft agenda before the meeting went into a closed-door session, Tinubu will present three nominees for the Council’s consideration — Prof. Joash Amupitan, Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman, and Prof. Lai Olurede.
The three nominees, all legal and academic professionals, are being screened as possible successors to Yakubu.
Reports has it that at least five candidates underwent background checks by the Department of State Services and other security agencies.
Former Heads of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) and Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), joined the meeting virtually, while former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan had yet to join at the time of filing this report.
Those physically present include 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.
Also in attendance are Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and several state governors, with some represented by their deputies.
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, National Population Commission, and National Judicial Council members.
Thursday’s 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.