Senate President Bukola Saraki and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun were among the notable absentees at the 10th Bola Tinubu colloquium holding at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos Island.
Neither Saraki nor Oyegun issued statements to commemorate with Tinubu on the occasion of his 66th birthday, but Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who is also absent, had released a congratulatory message, on Wednesday.
There were reports that Tinubu was among those who convinced President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw his support for the elongation of the tenure of the ruling party’s national working committee.
After the president’s action, Tinubu issued a statement where he lauded President Buhari for “saving the party from serious legal turmoil”.
Oyegun and Tinubu fell out after the primary election in Ondo state.
Saraki’s decision to defy the leadership of the party in emerging as the nation’s number three citizen is believed to have irked Tinubu.
However, many senators, governors, ministers, presidential aides and captains of industry are at the programme.