There was confusion following the absence of Babatunde Raji Fashola and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from Sunday’s meeting of the South-West All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders.
In the notice of the meeting signed by a former National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, those invited to the meeting included the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; a former Ogun State Governor, Chief Segun Osoba, Gen. Alani Akinrinade (retd); the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila and the Minister of Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and another party leader, Chief Pius Akinyelure.
Other are the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu; his Ekiti State counterpart, Kayode Fayemi; Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; the Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Alhaji Musiliu Smith.
However key stakeholders in the zone like Akeredolu and Fayemi did not show up at the meeting which backed the ban on open grazing.
The duo, on Monday, attributed their no-show to a mix-up in communication, while backing the resolution of the APC leaders at the meeting held in Lagos.
But the Minister of Works and Housing, Fashola, and his counterpart for Interior, Aregbesola, who were not at the crucial meeting have not officially given reasons for their absence.
A chieftain of the party, who confided in The Punch, said duo were not invited to the meeting.
Another top official of the APC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated, “If two former governors were at the meeting, I expected the ministers to be there. They are key stakeholders too.”
Lani Baderinwa, an aide in charge of Public Communication for Chief Akande, could not be reached for comment on the matter.
