His absence was a personal choice – APC reacts to El-Rufai not being present for NEC meeting

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, February 26, members of the ruling party gathered at its national secretariat in Abuja for the APC’s first NEC meeting since August 2023. The NEC, the highest decision-making body of the party, comprises 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.

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However, el-Rufai, who has become an outspoken critic of his party, was absent. Also missing from the event were former President Muhammadu Buhari and Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation.
On Monday, February 24, in an interview with Arise TV, el-Rufai stated that he had not received adequate notice ahead of the caucus and NEC meetings, saying he had already 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.”

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Felix Morka, APC spokesperson, said el-Rufai’s absence was a personal choice, adding that he received the same notice as 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.” El-Rufai had on Monday hinted at leaving the ruling party.