President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday evening presided over a meeting of the National Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, as the ruling party intensified internal consultations ahead of critical political milestones.
The meeting, which formed part of preparations for the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) session, was attended by six former governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who recently defected to the APC. They include Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, Pastor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State and Agbu Kefas of Taraba State. The governors participated in the caucus for the first time since their defection.
Also present were former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim and former Senate President Ken Nnamani, all of whom were formerly leading figures in the PDP before joining the APC.
The National Caucus and NEC meetings were initially scheduled for December 15 and 16 but were later rescheduled to Thursday and Friday, December 18 and 19, to allow for broader participation and a review of emerging party priorities.
The APC National Caucus comprises key party leaders, including the President and Vice President, former APC-affiliated presidents and vice presidents, serving and former governors, leaders of the National Assembly and zonal representatives. The caucus traditionally meets ahead of the NEC, the party’s highest decision-making organ, whose statutory members include the national chairman, deputy national chairmen, national secretary, legal adviser, treasurer and other principal officers.
Sources at the venue described the meeting as strategic and consultative, aimed at strengthening party cohesion, reinforcing internal discipline and harmonising positions ahead of the NEC meeting. Deliberations were said to have focused on organisational priorities, coordination at the state level and the alignment of stakeholders across the six geopolitical zones.
Although the agenda was broad, party insiders said a key focus was unifying senior figures around shared objectives, particularly in the post-Buhari era, where continuity and stability are viewed as critical to the party’s future. The presence of past officeholders was also seen as a confidence-building measure following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari earlier in the year.
The caucus further provided a platform for senior party actors to exchange views, ease internal tensions and build consensus on political direction as the party moves closer to the 2026 calendar, when preparations for the 2027 general elections, including party primaries, are expected to begin.
Vice President Kashim Shettima led other top government officials at the meeting, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
President Tinubu arrived at the venue at 7:38 p.m.
