President Bola Tinubu on Friday held a closed-door meeting with Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas; Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani; and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The agenda of the meeting was not disclosed, but it followed reports of an attempted arrest of former Kaduna State Governor and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Security operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were alleged to have attempted to detain el-Rufai upon his arrival from Cairo on Thursday. Sources close to the former governor claimed the move was made without a formal warrant or prior invitation, describing it as a breach of due process. It was also alleged that his international passport was temporarily seized, although the claim has not been officially confirmed by the security agencies.
El-Rufai, a founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), played a prominent role in Tinubu’s 2023 election but later fell out with the administration after he was dropped as a ministerial nominee. Since then, he has emerged as a critic of the government and has vowed to work with others to prevent the President from securing a second term.
While it remains unclear whether the airport incident was discussed at the meeting, the timing has generated public interest and speculation. As of press time, the Presidency had not commented on the agenda or outcome of the deliberations.
The President also met separately with Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia; and the Chief Executive Officer of God is Good Motors, Chidi Ajaere. AbdulRazaq was seen leaving the Villa with the National Security Adviser, while Alia declined to speak with journalists after his meeting.
