Presidency boycotts meeting with Wike, Obaseki, others in Port Harcourt

Prof Ibrahim Gambari

The Presidency on Tuesday boycotted a stakeholders’ meeting scheduled in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

It was gathered that the meeting was convened at the instance of the Chief of Staff to the President Ibrahim Gambari to discuss the emerging threats to peace in the Niger Delta region.

The six governors from the south-south geopolitical zone including Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki have expressed dissatisfaction with the Presidency for failing to attend the meeting.

An aide to one of the governors said all the governors from the zone were already at the Government House, Port Harcourt when they got news the conveners of the meeting could no longer be in attendance.

“This meeting was called off few hours to the time. They gave the excuse that President Muhammadu Buhari was holding a security meeting and the Inspector-General of Police would not be coming. They said Gambari and other presidential officials were encumbered by the security meeting,” the aide told The Nation.

The aide also said the people of the region demanded a public apology from the Presidency over the incident.