APC national caucus meets at Villa as defected Governors attend first session

The national caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday held its meeting at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting marked the first national caucus session presided over by Nentawe Yilwatda since his emergence as the national chairman of the ruling party.

Several governors who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC attended their first caucus meeting.

They include Governors 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, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, who is chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, and the APC national chairman.

Other party leaders present included former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, members of the National Working Committee, APC governors and principal officers of the National Assembly.

Governors at the meeting included Monday Okpebholo (Edo), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo), Usman Ododo (Kogi), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Bassey Otu (Cross River) and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara).

Others were Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Uba Sani (Kaduna) and Dikko Radda (Katsina).

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

Also present were former Senate Presidents Ken Nnamani and Anyim Pius Anyim; former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege; NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa; and former governors Isa Yuguda, Yahaya Bello, Adams Oshiomhole, Abubakar Bello, Ibikunle Amosun, Niyi Adebayo, Abdulaziz Yari and Ahmed Sani Yerima.

National Assembly leaders at the meeting included Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, as well as Senators Gbenga Daniel, Aliyu Wammako, Adamu Aliero, Ahmad Lawan and Simon Lalong. Julius Ihonvbere and Idris Wase represented the House of Representatives leadership.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the proceedings.

Addressing the caucus, Yilwatda said recent defections, particularly of serving governors and lawmakers, reflected the party’s growing national spread.

He said the APC now enjoys a commanding majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.

“We now have the majority in the Senate and also in the House of Representatives,” he said.

Yilwatda disclosed that the party has activated an electronic membership registration system to strengthen transparency, data integrity and internal democracy, urging stakeholders to support its nationwide rollout ahead of upcoming congresses.

He also revealed that the APC has acquired land in Abuja’s Central Business District for the construction of a new national secretariat.

According to him, the party won 14 of the 17 seats it contested in recent by-elections and is progressing with constitutional amendments ahead of the next national convention.

Yilwatda added that the APC is fully prepared for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, stressing that the party remains united and supportive of President Tinubu’s reform agenda.

Resolutions from the caucus meeting are expected at the end of deliberations.