Security forces on Thursday aborted an ongoing media briefing and took over the venue of the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Makurdi, Benue State capital.
The internal wrangling between the party’s executive at the state and ward level got deeper on Wednesday, after the vote-of-no-confidence passed on the state chairman, Austin Agada.
Agada was suspended by the Godwin Abah-led executive of the Owukpa Ehaje 1 ward, but was reversed by the party at the national level.
The security operatives invaded the complex when, Peter Onoja, who claimed to be the authentic Ward Chairman of the Owukpa Ehaje 1 APC, was on Thursday addressing journalists at the party secretariat’s hall, christened Tinubu’s House.
The security team made up of soldiers in a Hilux van and policemen ordered everyone out, and took strategic positions at the entrance of the party’s secretariat.
The invasion lasted for about 30 minutes, attracting bystanders and causing a stir on the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka road in Makurdi, the APC secretariat is located.
During the press briefing, Onoja said Abah was a former chairman, who was allegedly suspended for alleged financial misappropriation and who still kept parading himself as the chairman.
Onoja said, “I’m the ward chairman. We are here to pass a vote of confidence on our state chairman, Austin Agada, on President Bola Tinubu and his Vice President, Shettima,” he said.
The state chairman of APC, Agada, condemned the action, saying the ward executives were at the secretariat to pay him a solidarity visit over his recognition by the party’s national secretariat.
