APC: Why I Missed Meeting With Tinubu, Akande, Others – Fayemi

Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has explained that he was absent from the meeting of leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-West region due to a mix-up.

Naija News reports that APC chieftains including Bola Tinubu, Bisi Akande, and Olusegun Osoba; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, amongst others, had met on Sunday in Lagos State to discuss topical national issues.

The APC leaders had backed Southern governors’ open grazing ban, call for restructuring, state policing, amongst others.

However, the absence of Governor Fayemi and his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, raised eyebrows.

But reacting in a statement titled, ‘Fayemi Endorses Outcome Of Southwest APC Leaders’ Meeting… Says Mix Up In Invitation Responsible For His Absence’, Fayemi through his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, backed the resolution of the leaders.

The statement read, “Dr. Fayemi’s absence at the meeting was 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 Ahmed Tinubu, never got to Governor Fayemi.

“The absence of an invitation for the Southwest 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 Industries, Trade and Investments, Otunba 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 Southwest leader who is committed to the welfare of the people, is however in total support of the decisions reached by the Southwest 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.”