The All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to the absence of Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, at its national executive committee (NEC) meeting.

 

On Wednesday, members of the ruling party converged on its national secretariat in Abuja for the APC’s first NEC meeting since August 2023.

 

The NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, comprising state governors, serving and former presidents, former vice-presidents, the chairman and secretary of the board of trustees (BoT), principal officers of the national assembly, all state chairmen, members of the national working committee (NWC), former governors, and founding members, among others.

 

However, el-Rufai — who has become an ardent critic of his party — was absent.

 

 

Ex-president Muhammadu Buhari and Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, were also absent from the event.

 

On Monday, in an interview with Arise TV, the ex-governor said he had not received adequate notice ahead of the week’s caucus and NEC meetings, adding that he had made other plans.

 

“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 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.”

 

‘EL-RUFAI’S ABSENCE HIS CHOICE’

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Felix Morka, APC spokesperson, said el-Rufai’s absence from the meeting was a personal choice.

 

Morka added that el-Rufai received the same notice given to other party chieftains who attended the meeting.

 

“Today, there was a roll call of eminent members who attended this meeting,” 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 travelled 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 certainty a member of the caucus, but I don’t know that he’s a member of NEC. I mean, I doubt that.”

 

The former Kaduna governor had on Monday hinted at ditching the ruling party.