A meeting of the National Council of State is in session at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, with President Muhammadu Buhari Chairing the meeting.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami are physically attending the meeting, which started at 09:10 GMT.
Also in attendance are former Nigerian leaders, retired Generals Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsallami Abubakar as well as former President Goodluck Jonathan.
President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmed Lawan and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila are also among those physically attending.
State Governors physically present at the virtual meeting are, Nasir El-Rufai, Kaduna, Inuwa Yahaya, Gombe, Prof Babagana Zulum, Borno, Babajide Sanwolu, Lagos, Darius Ishaku, Taraba, and Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State.
Two former Chief Justices of Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore and Justice Mahmud Mohammed are also attending the meeting.
Other members of the Council are attending virtually from their various offices across the country.
Also present and awaiting their turn to brief the Council are, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele as well as the Commandant General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi.
They are to brief the Council on the level of preparation for the February 25 presidential and National Assembly and the March 11 governorship and state houses of assembly polls and the availability of new Naira notes.
The National Council of State is an organ of the Nigerian government whose functions include advising the executive on policy making.
Membership of the Council comprises the President, Vice President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, former Presidents, former Heads of State, former Chief Justices of Nigeria, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Governors of the 36 States of the federation and the Attorney General of the Federation.
