Confusion erupted at the All Progressives Congress (APC) national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday when suspected thugs attacked a group of protesters demanding the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The protesters, who had gathered to call for Ganduje’s removal, were ambushed by assailants wielding sticks as they approached the APC headquarters. The attackers destroyed the protesters’ banners and placards, and beat several individuals, forcing the group to flee.
After the attack, the protesters regrouped in an open area in Wuse 2. Their leader, Hamisu Suleiman Sardauna, condemned the violence and reiterated their demands.
“We are peacemakers. We are members of this party, so nobody can deny us justice. We are here for a peaceful protest but some thugs came around and beat our members. This is shameful,” he said.
Sardauna emphasized the group’s call for the national chairmanship to return to the North-Central zone, aligning with the APC’s 2022 zoning arrangement.
“We are clamouring for justice. APC stakeholders must return the office of national chairman to the North-Central. We are calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, governors of the party, and other critical stakeholders to champion this cause in line with the provisions of the APC constitution,” he added.
Sani Ibrahim Jigas, chairman of the APC Stakeholders’ Forum in Nasarawa State, supported this call, arguing that the replacement for the former national chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, should have come from the North-Central region. He urged APC stakeholders to ensure justice is upheld in the party’s leadership structure.
The incident underscores the ongoing tensions within the APC regarding leadership and regional representation, highlighting the challenges the party faces in maintaining unity and adherence to its internal agreements.