Presidency explains no-show at meeting with South-South leaders

19 Nov Presidency explains no-show at meeting with South-South leaders

The Presidency has explained its inability to attend the scheduled meeting with South-South stakeholders on Tuesday.

It said that the last-minute change of plans by the federal government’s team, led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, was as a result of the emergency National Security Council meeting, which was called by President Muhammadu Buhari.

It also conveyed the government’s apology in a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

The statement 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.

“This information and regret for the inconvenience caused were conveyed to the hosts of the meeting through what we 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,” the statement said.