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The National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was held in Abuja on Thursday with heavy security presence, but notable absentees, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, ex-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi, raised eyebrows.
The meeting, the first since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, took place at the party’s National Secretariat on Blantyre Street, which was heavily guarded by soldiers from the Guards Brigade.
Movements around the area were restricted, and journalists were denied access despite prior accreditation.
Key APC figures present included Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, and several serving and former governors.
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The meeting was presided over by APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
However, the absence of Buhari, El-Rufai, and Amaechi did not go unnoticed, fuelling speculations of internal discord.
Some party chieftains, including El-Rufai and former APC National Vice Chairman Salihu Lukman, had previously criticised the party’s leadership over alleged lack of internal democracy.
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The NEC meeting came just a day after a national caucus meeting at the Presidential Villa, adding to the perception of mounting internal disagreements within the ruling party.
The outcomes of the meeting remain undisclosed, but political analysts suggest the party may be struggling with unity as it navigates governance and internal power dynamics.