The Presidency has blamed the absence of the federal government delegation at the planned meeting with governors and stakeholders of the South-South region on an emergency security meeting summoned by the President.
Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity said in a statement on Wednesday that the absence was certainly not out of disrespect to leaders of the Southsouth.
He 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, “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, he said, was 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.
The presidential spokesman expressed regret for the unavoidable postponement of the meeting.
