Why we didn’t attend South-West APC leaders’ meeting, by Fayemi, Akeredolu

Govs adopt resolution

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday, said his absence at the All Progressives Congress (APC) South-West leaders’ meeting was a result of a mix-up in the invitation details.

He said he wholeheartedly supported the stance of the leaders despite his absence.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, which was made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, said that Fayemi’s absence at the meeting was as a result of a mix up in the invitation sent out for the meeting.

“For clarity, the invitation for the meeting, which was said to have been sent via Whatsapp by Mr. Tunde Rahman, an aide to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, never got to Governor Fayemi.

“The absence of an invitation for the South-West APC leaders’ meeting prevented the governor from attending the meeting, as he was not aware.

“Governor Fayemi, however, sent an apology to the meeting through former Ekiti State Governor and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, as he was already scheduled to attend another engagement at the time he came to learn of the meeting.

“Governor Fayemi, as a true democrat and South-West leader who is committed to the welfare of the people, is however in total support of the decisions reached by the South-West leaders at the meeting, which include an endorsement of the positions earlier adopted by the Southern Governors’ Forum on the ban on open grazing and the need for true federalism, among others.

IN the same vein, Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has said that late communication, aside from mix-up, were largely responsible for his inability to attend the meeting.

He, however, declared his unflinching support for the outcome of the meeting.

Akeredolu, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Richard Olatunde, described the parley as commendable and timely.

“A slight mix-up and communication gap had caused his unintended absence even as an earlier engagement had been fixed for Ibadan weeks before the meeting.

“Nonetheless, the resolutions reached by the revered leaders at the Lagos meeting are quite commendable and timely; the issues discussed are germane, and are clear indications that men of goodwill are working together to solve the nation’s current challenges,” he said.

“As one of the leaders of the APC in the South-West, and more so that he presided over the Asaba meeting of the Southern Governors’ Forum, nothing could be more spirit-lifting than the outcome of the Lagos meeting on Sunday.

“He, therefore, endorses all the resolutions reached by the leaders who attended the meeting,” the statement read.