From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s meeting with northern traditional rulers, originally scheduled to hold on Monday, June 19, 2017, will now hold today, at 3:00pm.
Although no official reason was given for the shift, Daily Sun learnt that the postponement was as a result of an oversight in the invitation of participants.
It was gathered that the meeting, which was scheduled to take place at 4:00pm, inside the State House Conference Centre (Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa), Abuja, was called off when it was realised that only Muslim traditional rulers, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad III, were invited.
Prominent first class non-Muslim rulers, who ought to have been invited for the Monday meeting were mistakenly left out of the parley.
The postponement was to enable necessary arrangements be made to get other northern royal fathers to the meeting.
All arrangements had been made for the take-off of the meeting before it was postponed with some of the guests already at the venue.
Among those who showed up were representative of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’alla, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazau; Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Ona of Abaji, Dr. Adamu Baba Yunusa, Chairman, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Traditional Rulers Council; Sakaruyi of Karu, Dr. Emmanuel Kyauta Yekwi, among others.
However, a private breaking of fast meeting (Iftar) held at 6:00pm, yesterday, with 10 northern traditional rulers invited to participate.
Last Tuesday, Osinbajo began series of meetings with stakeholders in the country, having met with leaders of thought from northern states. The following day, the acting president met with Igbo leaders and South East traditional rulers on Sunday, June 18.
In all the meetings, Osinbajo insisted that both groups were clearly violating the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which insists on the sanctity of the unity of the country and the right of every citizen to reside in any part of the country he chooses.
He has also warned that comments that threaten the peace and unity of the country would not be tolerated.
When contacted on the postponement, Osinbajo’s media aide, Laolu Akande, said: “The meeting today is going on, but, it will be an Iftar dinner meeting. Tomorrow (today), the acting president will meet with traditional rulers from the North and a representation of Northern traditional rulers, both Muslims and Christians have been duly invited.”
Osinbajo will also meet with governors of the 36 states of the Federation on a yet-to-be determined date this week while a bigger meeting with all stakeholders is scheduled to hold on Thursday, June 22.