- The ex-governor had criticised the party for allegedly straying from its core values and promoting “ineffective” leadership.
- The former minister of the federal capital territory (FCT) said the various organs in the party have not been holding meetings, adding that the leadership is running the APC like a “one-man show”.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded to the absence of Nasir el-Rufai, former Kaduna governor, at its national executive committee (NEC) gathering.
On Wednesday, members of the ruling party assembled at the national secretariat in Abuja for their first NEC meeting since August 2023.
The NEC, as the APC’s highest decision-making body, includes state governors, past and present presidents, ex-vice-presidents, the chairman and secretary of the board of trustees (BoT), national assembly leaders, state chairmen, national working committee (NWC) members, former governors, and party founders.
Despite previously criticising the party for failing to hold meetings, deviating from its principles, and encouraging “ineffective” leadership, el-Rufai did not attend.
Also missing from the meeting were former President Muhammadu Buhari and Rotimi Amaechi, an ex-minister of transportation.
On Monday, el-Rufai told Arise TV that inadequate notice was given for the meeting, adding that he had already scheduled other engagements.
“Unfortunately, I won’t attend the APC national caucus meeting, because I will be on my way to Cairo where I spend most of my time. I didn’t get adequate notice,” el-Rufai had said.
“The Constitution of our party requests 21 days or I think 14 days’ notice for this kind of national organ meeting. I don’t think that notice was given. If it was given, I don’t think I’d received such an invitation.
“I’ve my plans, and I am leaving tomorrow. Many of my friends will attend and they will give me updates, I don’t think I will miss anything.
“Ramadan is starting. I’ve made my own plans too. When the party meets, I think I’ve shouted loud and clear. So we’ll wait and see what the party will do about it. I don’t have to be there. I’m not the only member of the party that’s unhappy.”
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Felix Morka, APC spokesperson, stated that el-Rufai’s nonattendance was his own decision, as nothing stopped him from coming.
Morka mentioned that just as el-Rufai was informed, other party members also got their invitations and chose to be present.
“Today there was a roll call of eminent members who attended this meeting today,” Morka said.
“The same way notice was sent to El-Rufai I believe, was how notices were sent to these other members who got the notices and attended.
“Many of them don’t live in Abuja but they made plans and traveled to be at this meeting today.
“If El-Rufai wanted to be at the meeting, I bet you, he would have come.
“By the way, let me not say this, because I don’t know, I will have to check. I don’t know if he’s a member of NEC.
“Of certainly a member of caucus, but I don’t know that he’s a member of NEC. I mean, I doubt that.”
On Monday, the former Kaduna governor suggested he might be considering leaving the ruling party.
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