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.”
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")