Tension As Police Take Over APC Secretariat In Abuja Amidst Protest

There was tension at the national secretariat of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja as some protesters stormed the venue to express their grievances over some of the newly appointed members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

Due to the protest, security officials took over strategic locations within and around the national secretariat to forestall the breakdown of law and order.

The new NWC members are scheduled to be sworn in this afternoon, according to Naija News.

Recall that the APC National Working Committee on Wednesday elected six members to its fold. The decision was reached in line with the directives of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC).

The ruling party’s NEC in its last meeting ceded part of its powers to the NWC to allow the party’s administrative organ to fill vacant NWC and zonal positions.

The new officials are the Deputy National Chairman, North, Ali Bukar Dalori (Borno State); National Vice Chairman, North West, Garba Datti Muhammad (Kaduna State); National Legal Adviser, Prof. Abdul Karim Abubakar Kana (Nasarawa State); National Welfare Secretary, Donatus Nwankpa (Abia State); National Woman Leader, Mary Alile Idele, PhD (Edo State); and, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko (Kogi State). Also, the North Central Zonal chapter of the party has a new Zonal Organizing Secretary, Ikani Shuaibu Okolo (Kogi State).

However, there is said to be a bone of contention with the announcement of the candidate of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Mary Alile Idele, from Edo State as National Women Leader (South South Zone), instead of Dr Stella Odey-Ekpo, the candidate of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Beta Edu.

The party also picked Duro Meseko (Kogi State) as the new Deputy National Publicity Secretary (North Central Zone) to replace Yakubu Ajaka, as allegedly recommended by James Faleke against the candidate recommended by Governor Bello.

Following the developments, Edu was said to have stormed the party secretariat on Wednesday around 6.20pm to protest the dropping of her candidate.

Similarly, the arrival of the governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, in the early hours of Thursday morning contributed to heightening the tension around the secretariat.

Governor Bello, who arrived the secretariat on G-Wagon told newsmen that he won’t bulge until the mistake is corrected, as he said; “This issue must be sorted out today.”