For the first time in 16 years, Nigeria is scheduled to hold a national census between March and April 2023.
This was part of the resolutions reached at the Council of State meeting held in Abuja on Thursday.
The meeting was chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari and was attended by former Heads of State – Abdusalami Abubakar, Goodluck Jonathan, and Yakubu Gowon.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha, Boss Mustapha; National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno and the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari were also in attendance.
State Governors – Hope Uzodinma of Imo State; Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, and Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state among others – took part in the deliberations.
National honours
Other issues discussed at the meeting include prerogative of mercy – 159 persons out of 162 are to be granted various levels of pardon by the President.
The Council briefed on security situations across the country and President Buhari is to hold a security meeting with security chiefs, based on the Council’s presentations, on Tuesday.
The Council also resolved to confer national honours on 434 Nigerians.
It will be the first honours granted by President Buhari since he assumed office in 2015.