‘I briefed him about Mali referendum’ — Jonathan speaks on meeting with Tinubu

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has spoken about his meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday.

TheCable had earlier reported that the two leaders met at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

However, the purpose of the meeting was not immediately known.

Speaking with journalists after the gathering, Jonathan said he visited Tinubu to brief him about the planned constitutional referendum in Mali.

Jonathan is a special envoy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), leading the mediation mission in Mali.

The West African country will conduct a referendum on a new constitution on June 18.

The citizens will vote to uphold the legitimacy of the draft of the new constitution. The exercise will be a precursor to the long-awaited elections scheduled for February 2024.

The new constitution of Mali significantly empowers the president of the country. The law provides the presidency with the ability to appoint the prime minister and ministers, also the power to dissolve parliament.

However, a certain portion of the draft constitution has sparked controversy among religious leaders in the predominantly Muslim state.

The religious figures have voiced their concerns about the draft’s description of Mali as a secular state.

Jonathan said those are the issues he discussed with Tinubu during the meeting.

“I came to brief the president on the activities of some continental and subcontinental bodies. You know, I am the ECOWAS mediator for Mali and the chairman of the West African Elders Forum,” the former president said.

“So, there are certain issues bordering on the continent and the sub-region that I discuss with various presidents.”

Meanwhile, after the brief with Jonathan ended, the president received some government officials, including the newly inaugurated Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Hope Uzodimma, Imo state governor, was also at the presidential villa to meet with Tinubu.

He was accompanied by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos state, and Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor of Kano.

Mele Kyari, the group chief executive officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, also met with the president.