By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
His absence at the Southwest APC leaders meeting in Lagos on Sunday raised some eyebrows, but Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, on Monday explained that his absence was not deliberate.
The governor who explained that the timing of the meeting was not conducive since he had earlier scheduled meetings that he could not cancel, however, said he supported the resolutions reached at the meeting.
Akeredolu spoke in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde.
TheNiche had earlier reported the meeting which was attended by chieftains of the ruling APC and hosted by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the State House, Marina.
The attendees included Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the former APC interim national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
The meeting, which was held behind closed doors for about five hours, and chaired by Akande, also had Governors of Ogun and Osun states, Prince Dapo Abiodun and Gboyega Oyetola, Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, former Ogun State Governor, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd), and Chief Pius Akinyelure, in attendance.
Five of the six Southwest states are run by governors elected on the platform of APC, with Oyo State as the only exception.
Aside Akeredolu, Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, was also conspicuously absent.
Akeredolu described the parley as ‘commendable and timely.’
According to the statement, “Governor Akeredolu would have loved to be present at the meeting for several reasons. Far more important, the issues distilled bordered on the Southern Governors’ Asaba Declaration. However, 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.
“As one of the leaders of the APC in the Southwest, and more so that, he presided over the Asaba meeting of the Southern Governors, 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.”
