Malam Garba Shehu, the spokesperson for former President Muhammadu Buhari, has explained why the ex-president was absent from the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.
The meeting, which was presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, had in attendance top APC figures, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, governors, members of the National Working Committee (NWC), and other key stakeholders.
However, notable figures such as Buhari, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi were absent.
Speaking to BBC Hausa, Garba Shehu stated that Buhari’s absence was due to a late invitation.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is not a caucus member of the party. He was supposed to attend the NEC meeting, but unfortunately, the invitation was sent to him on Monday and only reached him on Tuesday. Because of this, he could not leave Daura for Abuja, even if he owned a private jet,” Shehu explained.
He further emphasized that despite Buhari’s physical absence, his support for the party remained unwavering.
“Buhari is a founding member of the APC. He was nominated by the party for president twice. He is a member of the APC even though he did not attend the meeting,” Shehu added.
