There is palpable fear and panic among staffers of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) due to the presence of heavily armed security personnel in the national secretariat of the party.
Newsmen observed that a detachment of heavily armed police and department of security services (DSS) personnel positioned themselves at strategic locations within the precinct of the party secretariat located along No 40, Blantyre street Wuse 2, Abuja.
A source at the party secretariat told that newsmen that the presence of the security personnel was preempted by the rumour that aggrieved members of the party had perfected the plot to storming the party secretariat to unleash mayhem.
APC’s caretaker secretary Senator James Akpanudoedehe, who spoke to reporters, explained that the measure was aimed at protecting lives and properties in the party secretariat.
He maintained that Governor Mai Mala Buni led leadership remains on the firm ground notwithstanding the position of those opposed to his continuous stay in office.
“The police is here to strengthen the leadership of Governor Buni, the caretaker chairman of the APC What do I mean by that? Whenever you read a security situation, when you have a security report that we are privy to, it is incumbent on our part to strengthen it so that we can protect you and the properties of APC,” he said.
“APC cannot be embarrassed because it has the national government. So we have to take measures to forestall any happening. We cannot underestimate security reports. You cannot play down on it. You have a security report, you cant take laws into your hands. You don’t expect us to call thugs to defend the secretariat of the party.
“So the right thing to do is to invite the police and the SSS who gave us the report that so so so thing may happen. It is a measure to protect your properties, including your lives. You are media people. If there is a protest and somebody is being killed, that would be big news. Nobody wants that that somebody has been shot here. It is our responsibility as managers of this party to put measures to protect lives and properties.”
