Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said he never thought he would sit with former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon in the Council of State meeting.
The former president, 65, spoke at the public presentation of the autobiography of elder statesman, Edwin Clark in Abuja on Thursday.
The Council of State in Nigeria is a constitutional body that plays an advisory role to the President on certain critical issues.
“I said Gowon was a very young man, young, but then, he was the Head of State when I was in primary 5. Then, Diete-Spiff was our first military governor (Rivers State), A very young man at 24. When I was in primary 5, I couldn’t have imagined that one day, I would be a retired president, sitting with Gowon in the Council of State meeting,” Jonathan said.
He commended Gowon for his sacrifices in ensuring that Nigeria remained together during his tenure as Head of State.
Dignitaries at the event include Senate President Godwin Akpabio; presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi; the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi; former Chief of Army Staff, and Lt Gen TY Danjuma (retd.), who is the chief launcher and a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; former Edo State Governor, Prof. Osarenwen Osunbor; and former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, also graced the occasion.