ABUJA (Chatnewstv.com) — The Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment to the National Chairman of Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Oliver Okpala, on Monday condemned what he described as a violent attack against his principal, Abdullahi Ganduje, during the APC North East Zonal Summit held in Gombe on Sunday.
In a strongly worded statement, Okpala said aggrieved party members engaged in “thuggery and brigandage” at the event, accusing them of disrupting the gathering and attempting to assault Ganduje as he made his way to his car.
“Thanks to the Nigerian police personnel and other security operatives who acted promptly,” he said. “Politics is not about violence; it is dialogue, lobbying, and consultations.”
Okpala said Ganduje’s efforts to address tensions and highlight the significance of the North East—home to Nigeria’s vice president—were ignored.
“He had emphasised that the North-East produced Nigeria’s number two citizen, and that the APC values the zone. That the President and Vice President are a single ticket under the constitution, yet they refused to listen,” he said.
The aide warned that such conduct could lead to broader instability, invoking Nigeria’s political past as a cautionary tale.
“This kind of unwarranted political crisis is reminiscent of what happened in the Western Region during the First Republic, which later snowballed into a national disaster and contributed to the collapse of that Republic,” he said.
Calling the attack “grievously irresponsible and unpatriotic,” Okpala stressed Ganduje’s record of promoting party unity and inclusivity since assuming the chairmanship.
“The national chairman of the APC is a father to all. Since he assumed office, he has been working and uniting all members and showing love to all,” he added.
He also expressed dismay that such behavior occurred in the presence of state governors, describing it as “an effrontery” and “a dangerous precedent.”
“An occasion like that should have been one of political decorum and responsibility. Instead, some chose brigandage,” he said.
Okpala called on those responsible for the disruption to “return to the path of political rectitude,” adding that violence “can never have a place in our polity.”
Editor: Gabriel Ani
