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

It was 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.