Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom state has clarified the issue surrounding the absence of all the governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) at a security meeting President Goodluck Jonathan held with governors today. Speaking to newsmen shortly after the two-hour meeting held in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Akpabio insisted that he had the right to invite whoever he wished.
The governor who was responding to a question why none of the APC governor was in attendance, said that the President himself had now scheduled an elerged security meeting with all the 36 governors for next week Wednesday at 4.00pm.
He said that today’s meeting was a fallout of the meeting held recently by all the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
At today’s meeting were governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo state from Labour Party and Enugu state governor, Sulivan Chime of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).
A statement issued by special adviser to President Jonathan on media and Publicity yesterday, announcing the meeting today said all the 36 governors were invited.
The statement said that President Jonathan summoned members of the National Security Council, all the governors and security chiefs to series of meetings at the Presidential Villa to find ways out of the security mess.
It said that those expected at the meeting that would take almost the whole day, include Vice President Namadi Sambo, the Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen Aliyu Gusau, the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the State Security Services and the Director-General of National Intelligence Agency.
The statement said that the meeting of the National Security Council will be followed by an enlarged meeting on security developments in the country to which President Jonathan has invited all the State Governors.
It said that the President, members of the National Security Council and the state governors will review the security situation in the country as well as ongoing national security measures and operations with a view to determining the best way forward.
Governor Akpabio told newsmen that President Jonathan is serious about putting an end to the security challenges in the country by involving all Nigerians irrespective of political affiliation.
“We cannot afford to politicize insecurity in this country. All Nigerians must be part of the solution to the problem. We must be our brothers’ keepers.”
