GEJ meets S’West govs over poll

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President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday met behind closed-doors with four All Progressives Congress from the
South-West.  The governors, who attended the parley which was described as private, were Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun).

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State was absent from the meeting which was also attended by ministers from the South-West as well as the Chief of Staff to the President, Brig.-Gen. Jones Arogbofa (retd.).

The ministers were Mobola Johnson (Communication Technology), Olajumoke Akinjide (State, Federal Capital Territory), Musiliu Obanikoro (State, Defence) and  Abduljelili Adesiyan (Police Affairs).

None of those who attended the meeting was ready to talk to journalists at the end of the meeting, which lasted for over an hour.

Although Fayemi said issues of national importance were discussed, he refused to give details, insisting that the meeting was private.  Fashola on his part said if the President wanted the matters discussed at the meeting to be put in the public domain, his spokesman would address the press.

Our correspondent however learnt that issues bordering on the forthcoming governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti states as well as the national conference that starts in Abuja on Monday came up during the meeting.

The source said the President again assured the governors that in line with his administration’s resolve to continue to sanitise the nation’s electoral process, he would not interfere in the elections in the two states.

He also stressed the need for all stakeholders in the states to avoid statements and actions that could compromise the peace being experienced in the South-West before, during and after the elections.

But when asked whether it was true that the forthcoming elections were discussed, Fayemi paused for a while, smiled and said “No.”a