The Presidency on Wednesday said the absence of the federal government delegation at the planned meeting with governors and stakeholders of the South-South region was necessitated by an emergency security meeting summoned by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday and not out of disrespect.
Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the delegation to the meeting, under the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, ministers and heads of security and intelligence agencies were in full readiness to proceed to Port Harcourt until they were directed to stay back for the emergency security meeting.
Shehu said the information and regret for the inconvenience caused were conveyed to the hosts of the meeting through what the Presidency believed were the right channels.
“The President is strongly and resolutely committed to hearing from leaders, stakeholders and our youth on burning issues affecting all parts of the federation, and to this effect, a new date for the meeting with the South-South will be agreed after due consultations with the parties concerned.
Once again, the unavoidable postponement of the meeting is regretted,” he added.
The governors and leaders of the South-South geopolitical region on Tuesday demanded an unreserved apology from the presidency for abruptly aborting a crucial stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd), yesterday expressed disappointment over the absence of the Presidency, describing it as “one insult too many”.
Nkanga, in a statement, said the reason offered for what he called the “deplorable action” was “completely untenable and unacceptable.”
