South South leaders cross with Presidency over boycott of meeting
Leaders of the South-South are cross with the Presidency following the botched meeting of the zone scheduled for yesterday at the Government House, Port Harcourt Tuesday.
The meeting was convened at the instance of the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, to discuss the emerging threats to the peace in the Niger Delta region was canceled after Governors, traditional rulers, and stakeholders of the zone had converged at Government House Port Harcourt awaiting the Federal Government team.
A Minister who was billed to be on the Federal Government delegation told Signaturetv.org that they were informed at the last minute about the cancellation.
“We were all ready to leave for Port Harcourt, some of my colleagues were already in Port Harcourt” the Minister said.
Asked if the meeting had been rescheduled for another date, he said they had not been informed.
A source and aide to one of the governors said the meeting was arranged days before Tuesday and wondered why the Presidency decided to call it off suddenly.
He described the mood at the government house as that of indignation and embarrassment adding that all the stakeholders felt disgraced by the attitude of the Presidency.
Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Rivers host Governor, Nyesom Wike, Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Senator Douye Diri (Bayelsa), and Ben Ayade (Cross River) were already seated at the hall before the news came.
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“You need to see the anger, the frustration, disappointment, and embarrassment in the faces of these leaders. On the eve of the meeting, the governors met, held a discussion to present a common front to the Presidency. They also mobilized everybody that was supposed to be in the meeting and brought them to Port Harcourt.
After moving the time they now gave the excuse that President Muhammadu Buhari was holding a security meeting and the Inspector-General of Police would not becoming. They said Gambari and other presidential officials were encumbered by the security meeting.
“But it sounds funny. They sounded as if it was not the Presidency that scheduled to meet the Niger Delta leaders on Tuesday. Why would they schedule another meeting on a day they are supposed to meet with the Niger Delta leaders? Something is fishy”.
The source said the people of the region demanded a public apology from the Presidency for canceling the meeting a few hours before the scheduled time.
He quoted Okowa, who is the Chairman of the South-South Governor’s forum as describing the cancellation as a disgrace, embarrassment, and disrespect to the people of the region.
Okowa said the governors would communicate the decision of the people to the presidency
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