IBB, Buhari attend council of state meeting

Ibrahim Babangida, former head of state, and Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), are the notable ex-rulers attending the meeting of the council of state currently ongoing in Abuja, the country’s seat of power.

Also in attendance is Abdulsalami Abubakar, the man who ended military rule in 1999 by handing over to a democratically-elected government, as well as Earnest Shonekan, who headed the interim government formed at the end of Babangida’s tenure in 1993.

The meeting is expected to dwell largely on the 2015 presidential election and make a recommendation on whether or not it should be postponed to give the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) more time to circulate permanent voter cards to eligible voters.

Babangida, pictured seated with Buhari, has hosted Goodluck Jonathan, his fellow ex-ruler’s opponent in the election, twice in the last two months.

During the first meeting on December 27, 2014, he urged “anyone who meant well for the country to support Jonathan” because the president meant well for the country and was working hard for it.

When they met again on Tuesday during Jonathan’s presidential campaign rally in Niger state, Babangida said Nigeria was “in safe hands with Jonathan as leader”.

Babangida met Buhari as well on January 19, and Yemi Osinbajo, Buhari’s running mate, said afterwards that IBB “endorsed” the APC presidential candidate for the presidential election.