Men of the Nigeria Police Force have taken over the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
There had been reports that President Muhammadu Buhari has allegedly approved the removal of the Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, as the Chairman, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), of the party and replaced him with 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 hold the convention as rescheduled, because there were no preparations on the ground to indicate so.
However, the police cordoned off the secretariat as early as around 8 am on Monday.
The police, numbering about 80, came with 11 vehicles and have cordoned off the secretariat of the party at Blantyre Street, Wuse II, Abuja, to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
Bello is expected to preside over the Caretaker Committee meeting.
But, the National Secretary of the party, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe has denied any leadership change at the Buhari House.
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 conduct a rancour-free and credible National Convention deserving of our great party.”
However, Bello has arrived at the party secretariat of the party to take over as the sole administrator.
He is already in a meeting with nine out of the 12 members of the Caretaker Committee of the party.
Recall that Buni travelled out of the country for a medical check-up.