Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State has told the organisers of the week long retreat schedule to hold in Dubai, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates for governors elected on the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party to suspend the idea.

The number one citizen in Gombe State who also doubles as the acting Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, issued a directive at a meeting with the organisers of the retreat in Abuja.

The retreat tagged ‘Getting ready for the task ahead,’  was meant to be an induction and investment retreat for the recently elected governors of the party.

But at the high powered meeting held in Abuja Dankwambo stated that the timing of the meeting was wrong and may generate negative reaction because of the current security challenges facing the country.

About four high profile officials of the PDP Governors’ Forum attended the meeting.

According to a source at the meeting.

“The governor said it is a good idea, but complained about the timing and that it must either be shelved or postponed due to the security challenge facing the country.

“He even said he could still attend as a facilitator if it would hold after he must have handed over later this month,”

Mr Adekunle  Adebanjo,acting Secretary of the PDP Governors’ Forum,  confirmed that the secretariat of the forum was behind the planned retreat.

He stated that the brain behind the idea was to gather the newly-elected governors in a single place where he said they would be able to interact with investors.

He stated that

“The retreat programme is actually being organised by the PDP Governors’ Forum secretariat.

“The idea is to make sure that the governors have access to investors at a strategic place. We want to put the governors together in one place and have the rare opportunity to meet with the foreign investors.”

Asked why the secretariat chose Dubai, Adebanjo said, “It is the closest investor-friendly nation to Nigeria and we are working with the Ministry of Commerce in Dubai on the issue.

“If we chose Nigeria, we may not get enough investors to come. We are likely going to have about 500 investors that would be talking to the governors.

“It is a strategic event to make sure that we move forward. We cannot sit back and say the investors should come to Nigeria. We want to reduce their spending by going to them.

“We have met with Governor Dankwambo on the preparation. But he said the retreat is not right now given the security situation in the country.

“He even said he would be willing to participate in the programme and that we should postpone it. We have done that.”

 

 

 

Meanwhile the Buhari Media Organisation,BMO,  has accused the PDP of being extravagant and wasteful in the statement below.

“This is a further exhibition of the PDP’s profligacy and wastefulness. Are there no worthy places for meeting in Nigeria? We, therefore, call on the PDP to look inward at all times and for once be patriotic.

 

 

 

“Information available indicates that the PDP crowd, prodded by their unsuccessful presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, has taken up a large chunk of the 599 luxurious ocean-view rooms and suites and an additional 19 beachside villas in the complex.”

 

 

SOURCE: PUNCH

 

 

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