Tinubu, Shettima present as APC national caucus meets in Abuja

The national caucus of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) met on Wednesday at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja, bringing together party leaders, governors and top government officials.

The meeting marked the first national caucus session chaired by Nentawe Yilwatda, who was recently appointed national chairman of the APC.

Several governors who defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attended their first caucus meeting of the ruling party. They included Peter Mbah of Enugu, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Agbu Kefas of Taraba and Douye Diri of Bayelsa.

President Bola Tinubu arrived at the venue at about 7:38 pm, accompanied by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, his deputy Benjamin Kalu, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, who chairs the Progressive Governors Forum, and Yilwatda.

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Other attendees included former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, members of the party’s national working committee, APC governors and principal officers of the National Assembly.

Among the governors present were Monday Okpebholo of Edo, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo, Usman Ododo of Kogi, Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi, Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe, Hyacinth Alia of Benue, Bassey Otu of Cross River and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara. Others included Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Uba Sani of Kaduna and Dikko Radda of Katsina.

Party elders at the meeting included Bisi Akande, the APC’s pioneer national chairman; Segun Osoba, former governor of Ogun; Adegboyega Oyetola, former governor of Osun; Ben Ayade, former governor of Cross River; Jolly Nyame, former governor of Taraba; and Ifeanyi Okowa, former governor of Delta.

Former Senate presidents Ken Nnamani and Anyim Pius Anyim, former deputy Senate president Ovie Omo-Agege, and several former governors and senior party figures were also in attendance.

National Assembly leaders present included Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele and senators Gbenga Daniel, Aliyu Wammako, Adamu Aliero, Ahmad Lawan and Simon Lalong, while Julius Ihonvbere and Idris Wase represented the leadership of the House of Representatives.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were present to monitor the proceedings.

Addressing the caucus, Yilwatda said recent defections, including those of serving governors and lawmakers, reflected the party’s expanding national presence. He said the APC now holds a majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.

Yilwatda also said the party had introduced an electronic membership registration system, describing it as a step towards improving transparency and internal democracy ahead of upcoming congresses.

He announced that the APC had acquired land in Abuja’s central business district for the construction of a new national secretariat and said the party won 14 of the 17 seats it contested in recent by-elections.

The APC chairman said work was ongoing to amend the party’s constitution ahead of its next national convention and added that the party was preparing for the Federal Capital Territory area council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026.

Resolutions from the caucus meeting are expected to be announced after deliberations conclude.

Oluwatosin Ogunjuyigbe is a writer and journalist who covers business, finance, technology, and the changing forces shaping Nigeria’s economy. He focuses on turning complex ideas into clear, compelling stories.

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