Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, an influential leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress, remains loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC, his spokesman Sunday Dare, declared on Friday, hours after reports said the Lagos-based politician boycotted the National Executive Committee meeting of his party in Abuja earlier in the day.

While Tinubu and some party members have said the party should remain supreme in choosing its leaders at all levels, some have argued that Tinubu should get used to internal democracy by respecting the choice of National Assembly members in free and fair elections.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said in a statement on Thursday that APC leaders should “shift ground” and move on to fix many of Nigeria’s ills instead of bickering over past wounds they cannot change.

In his comments on Friday, Dare said Tinubu remains loyal to Buhari and the APC but against those who “disrespect APC”.

“Tinubu stands with the President and with the Party but stands against all those in the party who disrespect APC,” Dare said on Twitter.

“President Buhari has spoken. We know he stands for party discipline without which their can be no unity.

“It is only the leaders that led the APC to win the battle that can fight the war and win for Nigerians. Others are petenders,” Dare added.

He explained that Tinubu, who is not an automatic member of NEC, “after one week of political meetings, Tinubu departed Lagos for Abuja at 3.30pm today with aides. Hours after APC meeting ended.”