By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders gathered at the party’s headquarters in Abuja for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.
Armed security officers, including soldiers, in collaboration with other security agencies, barricaded all roads leading to the venue on Blantyre Street. Vehicle and pedestrian movement around the area was restricted, and journalists were denied access to the venue.
However, APC spokesperson Felix Morka released a list of accredited journalists for the event on Wednesday morning.
Among those who arrived early for the meeting were members of the National Working Committee (NWC), state party leaders, former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, Minister of Budget and National Planning Atiku Bagudu, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu.
Governors from Edo, Benue, Ondo, Ekiti, Kaduna, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Yobe, Niger, Lagos, Kogi, Ogun, Imo, Deputy Governor of Ebonyi, and former governors of Kogi, Kebbi, Niger, Zamfara, and Plateau also attended.
Notable absentees at the NEC meeting included former President Muhammadu Buhari, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi.
Party leader, President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas arrived at the meeting around 12 PM. The party’s national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, presided over the meeting.
This was the first NEC meeting since Tinubu assumed office as president in May 2023, following a party high-level meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Some party stalwarts, including El-Rufai and former Deputy National Chairman of the APC Salihu Lukman, have expressed concerns about the ruling party’s lack of internal democracy.