Journalists were however barred from the meeting which former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd); Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Emeritus Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Dr Samson Ayokunle; a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Aliyu Gusau (retd) and a former Attorney General of the Federal (AGF), Kanu Agabi (SAN) and many others attended.

The nine-hour marathon meeting held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja started at 11.00 am and ended at 8.15 pm with two breaks for prayers and meals.

According to Daily Trust, Security operatives at the venue stopped journalists from gaining access to the venue, claiming they were not invited to cover the event.

Journalists were also not allowed in during the breaks that even led to the ‘eviction’ of some aides of the personalities and some others before the meeting went to another ‘closed-door’ meeting with selected leaders of the various groups invited for the meeting.

The publication reported that while none of the leaders or other attendees was willing to talk at the end of the meeting, former minister of agriculture, Audu Ogbe said a communique would be released. He however declines further comments on the expected content or when it would be released.

The umbrella body for all Christians in Nigeria made this known in a letter signed by its President, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, which was delivered to presidential aide, Etta Enang, on Monday, September 1.

The letter reads in part “We consider the Act, as indeed, a complex of statecraft compendium, laden with issues that are grossly inimical to national interest, security (- peace and stability), and overall wellbeing of the Nigerian-state. From the reactions of stakeholders and a cross-section of the Nigerian-state, it is apparent that the Act either did not receive input from the respective various interest groups or failed to accommodate their views, sundry concerns and varying interests of the Nigerian people. Mr President, from the foregoing, we are of the opinion that you should kindly issue the appropriate directives to suspend the implementation of CAMA 2020 and affirm a thorough reappraisal of the legislation that is in correlation with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), other extant legal and policy frameworks, the national economy, national security, national interest and the wellbeing of the Nigerian-state.”