PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu is currently presiding over the national caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.
Tuesday’s meeting began at 7:22 p.m. when Tinubu arrived at the venue.
It is his first meeting of this nature since assuming the presidency 20 months ago.
However, journalists were not allowed into the main hall.
In 2024, the two crucial sessions, earlier scheduled for September 11 and 12 in Abuja, respectively, were called off.
Although the party did not state the reasons for the postponement, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, affirmed that a new date would be announced.
In an interview with this newspaper, the party’s National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, revealed that the meeting will be held as scheduled and will not be postponed.
He said, “By the grace of God, the President will be there. He has already confirmed his attendance…nobody is postponing anything. The National Caucus and the NEC meetings will still be held Tuesday and Wednesday as scheduled.”
The National Caucus Meeting of the APC is a high-level strategic gathering of the party’s top leadership, including the President, Vice President, National Chairman, members of the National Working Committee, state governors under the party, and key stakeholders such as former governors, ministers, and principal officers of the National Assembly.
It also allows the party leadership to align on political considerations before they are deliberated at the NEC, which includes all state governors and other key economic decision-makers.
Also seated for the meeting are the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje; Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; past and present APC governors; former and serving Speakers of the House of Representatives of the party; state party chairmen; the National Working Committee; and other stakeholders.
Other debuting appearances at the first caucus meeting are the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; former Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, and former Senate President, Pius Anyim.
Early birds at the conference centre were members of the Nigeria Governors Forum led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Prof. Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto State, Hyacinth Alia of Benue State Governor, among others.
Also present were South-South leaders of the governing party led by Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timiprey Silva.
Notable APC leaders such as Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Former Governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura, Senator Aliyu Wammako, former Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu are also seated.
Meanwhile, the founding National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, former party national secretary, Dr Iyiola Omisore, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Senator Lola Ashiru and a few others from the South-West are also present.
Others present are Senators Tahir Monguno and Lola Ashiru, among others.