The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, has expressed uncertainty over whether former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is a member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
This statement comes amid growing internal tensions within the ruling party, which held its NEC meeting at the National Secretariat in Abuja.
The meeting was attended by top party officials, including all members of the National Working Committee (NWC), state chairmen, and prominent figures such as former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, Minister of Budget and National Planning Atiku Bagudu, and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
Leading government officials, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, were also present. The NEC gathering followed a national caucus meeting at the Presidential Villa, indicating the importance of ongoing discussions within the party.
However, notable absences at the meeting raised eyebrows, particularly that of El-Rufai and former Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi. Their absence has fueled speculation about underlying disputes within the APC.
El-Rufai has been vocal about issues within the party, especially after his ministerial nomination was blocked. He accused President Tinubu and National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu of playing key roles in his exclusion from the cabinet. He dismissed claims that a security report was the reason for his failed nomination, instead alleging that Tinubu personally opposed his appointment. Additionally, he suggested that Ribadu’s political ambitions for the 2031 presidential race contributed to the situation.
The former governor has also spoken against what he perceives as a lack of internal democracy in the APC. His remarks and absence from the NEC meeting have further deepened conversations about divisions within the party’s leadership.
During an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Morka responded to questions about El-Rufai’s absence, saying he was unsure if the former governor was even a NEC member.
“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 certainly a member of caucus, but I don’t know that he’s a member of NEC. I mean, I doubt that,” he stated.
