Former President Muhammadu Buhari has explained why he did not attend the caucus meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The ruling APC had scheduled August 2 and 3 for its national caucus and national executive committee (NEC) meetings, respectively.

The national caucus meeting took place at the presidential villa on Wednesday, while the NEC summit will assemble party leaders in Transcorp Hilton today (Thursday).

On why Buhari was unable to attend the meetings, Garba Shehu, his spokesman, in a statement, said the former president was unavailable due to some other commitments.

The statement reads, “Former President Muhammadu Buhari has explained his inability to be present at the caucus meeting and the national executive committee, NEC, meetings of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to which he has been invited.

“He has conveyed his apologies, indicating that he is unable to attend due to commitments earlier made.

“The former president used the opportunity to express his support and commitment to the party, at the same time wishing it a good meeting, as the leaders take decisions on issues of importance to the party and the nation.”

Also, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo also apologised for his unavailability at the events.

Osinbajo said he has been committed to many assignments outside the country.

Laolu Akande, spokesman for former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has explained his principal’s absence at the caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement, Akande said Osinbajo could not make it to the event on Wednesday because he was out of Nigeria for some engagements to which he had long been committed.

“In a letter of apology for his absence addressed to the Acting Chairman of the party (Abubakar Kyari), the former VP explained that he was already abroad for engagements to which he had long been committed, when he received the invitation to the meeting,” the statement partly read.

“He had in fact cancelled some of his engagements abroad to be available for the two previously scheduled caucus meetings of the party which had to be postponed due to exigencies.

“While wishing the party fruitful deliberations, he expressed his commitment to the Party and his availability for future meetings and activities of the party.”

On July 17, the APC announced the suspension of its planned national caucus and national NEC meetings.

Abubakar Kyari, acting national chairman of the APC, spoke after an emergency gathering of the party’s national working committee (NWC).

The NWC sit-down which was held at the party’s headquarters in Abuja was called after the “resignation” of Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the ruling party, respectively.

Kyari said the change in the party’s leadership necessitated the postponement of the meetings.