Former President, Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, both stayed away from the National Caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scheduled for August 2 and 3, the first the party would be holding since winning the 2023 presidential election, which produced Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President.
Buhari and Tinubu, had changed the baton on May 29, with Osinbajo doing the same with incumbent VP, Kashim Shettima, even though their declaration as winners of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission is being challenged by both Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), in Abuja.
The party, which also called for the National Executive committee (NEC) meetings on Thursday August 3, at the Transcorp Hilton, had earlier held the NCM, at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.
But Buhari, who spoke through Garba Shehu, his spokesman in office, had notified the party, on Wednesday, of his inability to attend the meeting due to commitments he earlier made, while sending his apologies.
The statement, said: “Former President Muhammadu Buhari has explained his inability to be present at the caucus meeting and the National Executive Committee (NEC), meetings of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to which he has been invited. He has conveyed his apologies, indicating that he is unable to attend due to commitments earlier made.
“The former President used the opportunity to express his support and commitment to the party, at the same time wishing it a good meeting, as the leaders take decisions on issues of importance to the party and the nation.”
Osinbajo, in a statement through Laolu Akande, his spokesman said he absent from the parley, because he was out of Nigeria for some engagements to which he had long been committed, but reaffirmed his commitment to the party.
He said: “In a letter of apology for his absence addressed to the Acting Chairman of the party (Abubakar Kyari), the former VP explained that he was already abroad for engagements to which he had long been committed, when he received the invitation to the meeting,” the statement partly read.
“He had in fact cancelled some of his engagements abroad to be available for the two previously scheduled caucus meetings of the party which had to be postponed due to exigencies.
“While wishing the party fruitful deliberations, he expressed his commitment to the Party and his availability for future meetings and activities of the party.”
Also absent from the meeting was former President, Muhammadu Buhari.
The former president through his spokesman, Garba Shehu, however, explained he was unable to attend the meeting due to commitments he earlier made.
The APC caucus meeting is a prelude to Thursday’s National Executive Committee meeting where the perennial crisis rocking the party, the nomination of former Governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and Spokesperson for the ninth Senate, Senator Ajibola Basiru, are expected to be on the front burner.
The development, came with Ahmed El-Marzuk, National Legal Adviser, becoming the third member of the National Working Committee (NWC) to step down from their roles after the former National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore, announced their resignations a fortnight last week.