President Bola Tinubu is currently presiding over a crucial meeting of the Council of State at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where he is expected to present nominees for consideration as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The hybrid session, which commenced at 1:29 p.m. on Thursday, comes just 48 hours after Prof. Mahmood Yakubu concluded his decade-long tenure as INEC Chairman — a period that spanned two administrations and oversaw three general elections.
According to the meeting’s agenda seen prior to the closed-door session, President Tinubu is set to present three nominees for the Council’s consideration:
Prof. Joash Amupitan,
Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman, and
Prof. Lai Olurede.
All three are distinguished legal and academic professionals, currently being screened as potential successors to Prof. Yakubu. It was earlier gathered that at least five candidates had undergone background checks by the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies.
In attendance at the meeting are several key figures in government and national leadership. 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 are among those physically present.
Also participating are Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and a number of state governors, with some represented by their deputies.
Former Heads of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) and Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) joined the session virtually, while former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan were yet to log in as of the time of this report.
The Council of State, established under Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution, serves as an advisory body to the President on critical national issues — including the appointment of the INEC Chairman, as well as key positions in the National Population Commission and the National Judicial Council.
This marks the second Council of State meeting under the Tinubu administration, following the first session held in August 2024 amid widespread national protests.
Beyond electoral matters, President Tinubu is expected to brief the Council on the state of the economy, national security, and other pressing issues before forwarding his final nominations to the Senate for confirmation.
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