One key feature that distinguished General Murtala Muhammed's Supreme Military Council (SMC) from that of General Yakubu Gowon was the exclusion of military governors from the council.

During Gowon's administration (1966–1975), military governors were members of the Supreme Military Council. This allowe them direct participation in national decision-making. However, when Murtala Muhammed took over in 1975, he restructured the council and excluded military governors. This was part of his broader effort to streamline governance and reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies.