The meeting was arranged after education activist, Malala Yousofazai met with President Jonathan on Monday and pleaded with the him to meet with the parents of the abducted girls.
President Jonathan in a statement delivered by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe accused the #Bringbackourgirl activists of politicising the planned meeting by ferrying the parents out of Abuja before the meeting could hold.
The statement reads: "It now appears that our fight to get the girls of Chibok back is not only a fight against a terrorist insurgency, but also against a political opposition.
"It is with great regret that I announce the cancellation of the meeting with 12 parents of the abducted Chibock children, as well as five of the brave girls who escaped from the terrorist organization Boko Haram. I scheduled this meeting, which was to be open to the media for coverage by Nigerian and international press, to listen to their stories and to privately brief the parents and the girls on our efforts to rescue the abducted girls.
"My priority is not politics. My priority is the return of these girls.
"Unfortunately, political forces within the Nigerian chapter of Bring Back Our Girls have decided to take this opportunity to play politics with the situation and the grief of the parents and the girls. They should be ashamed of their actions.
"Those who would manipulate the victims of terrorism for their own benefit, are engaging in a similar kind of evil: psychological terrorism.
"I want to be clear, this government stands with complete solidarity with the girls and their parents. We are doing everything in our power to bring back our girls. Despite the shameful and disgusting games being played by the Nigerian chapter of Bring Back Our Girls, as a father of girls, I stand ready to meet with the parents of our abducted children and the truly brave girls that have escaped this nightmare through the grace of God."
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everydayAdvertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
The question is, why did it take a visit from a 17-year old girl from Pakistan for you, Mr. President to take that simple action? Are you and your advisers simply lacking in initiatives?
ReplyDeleteGod guild u Mr president. don't relent on the fight yo bring home our lost sister.
ReplyDeleteno body is missing and no body was escap
ReplyDeleted children of a household were kidnapd nd d father of d house idle away for months wit his wife only for d daughter of a different family to deem it fit to plead wit d inept father of d house bfor he decides to meet wit d parents of d abducted kids.Wat a country!
ReplyDeleteSimple!! nobody is missing, it's just fraud politics
ReplyDeleteShame on presidecy that has never advised the president to visit Chibok as father of the nation.
ReplyDeleteIt is time the so called Dr. Doyin Okupe stop bringing in opposition in any clear issue. He needs to know that Nigerians are not fools. Will the carefree attitude of the precidency on the issue of these innocent girls be the if Mr. President's is one them?
but why shuold they shun him. they may regret it because this action will certainly demotivate the president do help them.
ReplyDeleteVery sad indeed! So it requires a Girls Right Campaigner and a foreigner Miss Malala Yousafzai to beg and persuade the President of Nigeria before he agrees to pay a visit to the parents of the abducted Chibok girls after about a 100 days since they were kidnapped and held captive in Sambisa forest. What a shame! It also took the president about 3 weeks before the President could acknowledge and announce to the nation that some girls may be missing from Chibok, It also took a presidential panel to actually confirm and convince the President that the Girls were truly missing before the President can be convinced that it was not the opposition (APC) that were spreading rumors that there was really an abduction. What a pity! Nigeria is really in a mess and in trouble if we continue to believe that everything is still well and okay. Nigerians has never been more insecure in their country, more divided along religious, ethnic and cultural lines in all its 100 years of its history all under this current President. The Federal Government and indeed the President should be ashamed of waiting for almost 100 days to be persuaded by a 17 year old Pakistani girl before he could do what is his utmost responsibility by visiting the escaped girls and the Parents of the abducted girls and give then reassurance and succor. We should all take the blame (Nigerians) if this President continues beyond 2015.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is that there were no missing girls that was the reason why the parents shunned the meeting. moreover, could the USA intelligent team find them?
ReplyDeleteAre you sure they where not paid to act as parent?
ReplyDeleteIt is now u want too see them whos playing politics with the issue u turned this issue political from the beginning at least now you agree that the girls are missing and now u set your sights on tarnishing the image of the parents nice job CnC
ReplyDeleteMay be none of their child is missing, God will help u Mr. president.
ReplyDeleteThe President lack initiative from on set.simly put he does not understand what to be a father
ReplyDeleteA total failure of leadership, it took a 17 year old girl, Malala Yousafzai to convince our President to meet with the parents of the Chibok girls.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should make Malala Yousafzai the President's coach since she understands leadership better than he does...
This is so unfortunate, it took to intervention of a 17 years old girl to convince a 60+ old Mr. President to know that he is suppose to meet with the parents of the missing girls. I am soo much ashamed. Yet we have millions of out of school girls, this shows the weakness of this Government. Shame on all of you in the Aso Villa. With due respect.
ReplyDeleteThis is d high point of Northern political mischief
ReplyDeleteThis is d high point of Northern political mischief
ReplyDeleteDoyin okupe or whatever they call your name for the past three months you did not say or do anything regarding these girls untill a 17 yr old girl came from pakistan to convince GEJ before he told you what to do and now you're coming out to tell the press of whats and what nots you should be ashamed of yourself and the games and psychological trauma that pdp is putting the parents of these girls through. Remember "Any injustice done to man by man shall surely be recompenced, if not today certainly tomorow and if not by man certainly by God" the evil that men do lives with them and not after them as you think.
ReplyDeleteIs like nobody is missing. Chibok people and their Governor have something they are hiding from Nigerians. Or the Governor has once intimidated them not to go, just like when the wife of the President asked them to come they equally shunned her. May be the parents entered agreement to give their children to BK. If they do not want the Fed Govt to help them, then let them and their counterparts stop calling or mentioning the President. It means they are okay. This is the second time the fed have invited them and they refused. Do they have MOU with Shetima and BK?
ReplyDelete11:06 pm what else do you want the Fed Government to do? You need to be reasonable and sensible.
If I were one of the parents, I would not attend such stupid meeting even if I were still in Abuja. Does it mean that those in Aso Rock are not as intelligent as a 17 year old Pakistani girl? If the girl has not urged the president to meet with the parents, would Doyin Okupe have arranged the meeting? This government lacks vision.
ReplyDeleteu 4get 2 add that nobody die just wait untill ur sisters is missing b4 u believe
ReplyDeleteWell. It is foolishness and stupidity to bite one's nose in other to see one's face. It is sad that some people in this country are too quick and ready to profit on others misfortune or misery. Mo matter what, Nigeria president is still the one that his citizens were kidnapped and has been trying to rescue them safely but it is sad the way events are turning. Some people seem to have turned the who issue into avenue for personal gain.This is why many people are doubting of people were really kidnapped because some have turned the whole sad situation into a franchises God help bus on this country.Ameen
ReplyDeleteU get it wrong my dear, the abduction saga have been so politicized by the bring back our girls campaign to smear Mr President. It is withing his discretion to see them. His job is to ensure their rescue. What about those killed by boko haram, has Mr president visited all their wards. He probably obliged the little girl because of the cause she champions. Bring back our girls is a myopic campaign that undermines govt effort. Capoca.
ReplyDelete