The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, on Wednesday said he is uncertain whether former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is a member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
Morka made this remark in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today while addressing El-Rufai’s absence from the party’s NEC meeting, which took place at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
New Telegraph had earlier reported that the meeting was attended by President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, and other top party leaders.
It would be recalled that Wednesday’s meeting is the first NEC gathering since Tinubu assumed office as the 6th President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 29, 2023.
However, El-Rufai, alongside the former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, was absent, sparking speculation over internal party conflicts as both men have been critical of the current APC leadership.
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Responding to questions about El-Rufai’s absence, Morka suggested that the former governor received an invitation like every other party chieftain but chose not to attend.
“Today, you know, there was a roll call of eminent members who attended this meeting. The same way notice was sent to El-Rufai, I believe, was how notices were sent to other members, who got them and attended.
“Many of them don’t live in Abuja but made plans to travel to attend the meeting. If El-Rufai wanted to be there, I bet you, he would have come,” Morka stated.
Morka also cast doubt on El-Rufai’s standing within the party’s highest decision-making body.
He said, “By the way, let me not say this because I don’t know how to check, but I don’t know if he’s a member of NEC. He is certainly a member of the caucus, but I doubt that he is a member of NEC.”
El-Rufai has been at odds with the APC leadership in recent months, particularly with President Tinubu and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The former governor recently alleged that Tinubu personally blocked his ministerial nomination and dismissed claims that a negative security report was the reason for his exclusion.
He further accused Ribadu of working against him, claiming the NSA is pursuing a presidential ambition for 2031 and sees him as a political threat.
El-Rufai has also spoken against the APC’s internal democracy, accusing the ruling party of straying from its founding principles.
