APC meeting: Fayemi explains absence, backs ranching, state police 

Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has explained his absence from a meeting of leaders of the All Progressives Congress in the South-West region on Sunday.

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 to discuss topical national issues.

The leaders had backed Southern governors’ open grazing ban, call for restructuring, state police, as well as rejected calls by separatists for Yoruba nation, amongst others.

However, Fayemi and his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, were conspicuously absent from the meeting.

Reacting in a statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, on Monday, Fayemi said he “wholeheartedly supports” the stance of APC leaders despite his absence from the meeting.

The statement was titled, ‘Fayemi Endorses Outcome Of Southwest APC Leaders’ Meeting… Says Mix Up In Invitation Responsible For His Absence’.

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.”