The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, on Thursday, said that governors already attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in South Africa is not an affront to the decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
According to him, those governors and other individuals were already in South Africa before a decision was reached for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to boycott the WEF due to xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Briefing State House correspondents in Abuja, he also pointed out that the WEF is an international function, which was not organized by South Africa.
“The forum started a long time ago and the governors were already there before our decision was taken”, he said.
According to him, Nigeria only stated a position that its top officials would not be in Capetown to register its protest against the xenophobic attacks.
Some of the Nigerian governors who have gone ahead to attend the World Economic Forum included the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State.
Other Nigerians participating at the forum include a former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili.