We are Sorry: Presidency begs South South governors over botched meeting

The Presidency has apologised to the South South governors over a meeting scheduled for Port Harcourt on Tuesday, but which did not hold.

In a statement, the presidency explained that its delegation was absent because of an emergency security meeting summoned by the President.

It said the delegation did not turn up “certainly not out of disrespect”.

In the statement, Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant on media to President Buhari explained why the delegation did not show up:

“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.

“This information and regret for the inconvenience caused were conveyed to the hosts of the meeting through what we believed were the right channels.

“As may have been gleaned from the statement read by the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, the extraordinary National Security Council meeting, under the President, was called in view of the gravity of the security situation affecting all parts of the country, including the South-South in the aftermath of the ENDSARS protests, and the need to rise to protect our national security and territorial integrity.

“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”, the statement concluded.

The South South governors, who gathered in Port Harcourt for the botched meeting, demanded an apology from the presidency on Tuesday.

Similar meetings had held in Lagos and Enugu.