The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, has said that the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, voluntarily failed to attend the party’s National Executive Council meeting.
Morka noted that the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory had the right to attend the meeting just like any other NEC member but chose not to do so.
Recall that leaders of the ruling party have gathered at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja for its NEC meeting since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in 2023.
The meeting was well attended by all members of the National Working Committee and other party organs.
The party’s head, President Bola Tinubu; Vice President Kashim Shetimma; Senate President Goodwill Akpabio; and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas were all present.
In a recent interview with Arise News, El-Rufai criticized the ruling party for lacking internal democracy and failing to follow the constitution by calling for a NEC meeting.
When reminded that the meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, the former governor claimed he did not receive an invitation and should have received it earlier.
However, in a subsequent interview with Channels Television’s Politics T, El-Rufai defended the ruling party’s actions.
He said, “Today, you know, there was a roll call of eminent members who attended this meeting today. 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, you know, 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 how to check. I don’t know if he’s a member of NEC. Of course, he is certainly a member of the caucus, but I don’t know that he’s a member of NEC. I mean, I doubt that.”
