Leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) gathered at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday for its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

Security was tightened around the venue on Blantyre Street, with armed personnel from various security agencies, including soldiers from the Guards Brigade, cordoning off all access points. Vehicular and pedestrian movement in the area was restricted, while journalists were denied entry despite the release of an accredited media list earlier in the day by the party’s spokesperson, Felix Morka.

Notably absent from the NEC meeting were former President Muhammadu Buhari, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi.

Early arrivals at the meeting included members of the National Working Committee (NWC), the Forum of State Chairmen, former Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari, Minister of Budget and National Planning Atiku Bagudu, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu.

Several state governors, including those of Edo, Benue, Ondo, Ekiti, Kaduna, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Yobe, Niger, Lagos, Kogi, Ogun, and Imo, as well as the deputy governor of Ebonyi, were in attendance. Also present were former governors of Kogi, Kebbi, Niger, Zamfara, and Plateau states.

President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas arrived at the venue at noon. The meeting was presided over by APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje.

This NEC meeting, the first since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, followed a national caucus meeting of the party held a day earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Some APC chieftains, including El-Rufai and former National Vice Chairman Salihu Lukman, have previously criticised the party leadership, citing concerns over a lack of internal democracy within the ruling party.