Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
There are palpable tension at the headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as personnel of the Nigeria Police Force have taken over the Secretariat of the party.
The police numbering about 70 came in 10 vehicles and condoned off the secretariat of the party at Blantyre street to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
The police cordoned off the secretariat as early as 8a.m on Monday.
Recall that THISDAY had exclusively reported that President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the removal of the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as the Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the party and appointed his Niger State counterpart, Abubakar Sani Bello.
A faction of the APC governors was alleged to have complained bitterly to the president that Buni was not inclined to holding the convention as rescheduled, because there were no preparations on ground to indicate so.
Niger state Governor, Abubakar Bello is expected to preside over the Caretaker Committee meeting.
However, the National Secretary of the party, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe has denied any leadership change at the Buhari House.
A party source, however, told THISDAY that it was only the Secretary or the Caretaker Committee chairman, Mai Mala Buni, that could have ordered the police to takeover the party secretariat.
He added that staff of the party working in the office of Buni had been directed since Sunday not to come to the office today because they didn’t want Bello and other members of the Caretaker Committee to gain access to the office of the NWC where the said meeting would take place.
Akpanudoedehe in a hurriedly signed statement issued on Monday described the media report about leadership change as fake news and should be disregarded.
He said: “Our attention has been drawn to sponsored media reports on an imaginary leadership change in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC).
“The APC is a progressive political party guided by rules. Leadership changes are not announced by ‘sources’ through name dropping in the media.
“We urge our teeming supporters, members and indeed the general public to remain calm and support the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC CECPC to conduct a rancour-free and credible National Convention deserving of our great party.”
