Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that governors who are attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Cape Town, South Africa were not disrespecting the decision of the Federal Government to boycott the forum.
Mr Onyeama told reporters on Thursday that the forum was an international function, and not organised by South African authorities.
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Among the attendees from Nigeria are Governors Kayode Fayemi and Nasir El-Rufai of Ekiti and Kaduna States respectively; former minister of education, Oby Ezekwesili; and the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
Onyeama said the governors were already in South Africa before a decision was reached for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to boycott the WEF due to xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
“The forum started a long time ago and the governors were already there before our decision was taken,” he said.
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The minister said Nigeria only stated a position that its top officials would not be at the forum to register its protest against the xenophobic attacks.
