“No Room For Thuggery In Current Political Environment” – APC Official Condemns Physical Assault Attempt On Ganduje At Gombe Meeting
Oliver Okpala, Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment to APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, has condemned the chaos and near-physical assault on the party leader during the APC North-East zonal meeting in Gombe.
In a statement on Monday, Okpala described the incident as “irresponsible, unpatriotic, and disgraceful”, drawing parallels with the political violence of Nigeria’s First Republic.
“The attempt by some individuals to accost and physically attack the National Chairman as he approached his vehicle was shameful,” Okpala stated.
He praised the Nigeria Police and other security operatives for swiftly intervening to prevent what he said could have spiraled into a full-blown crisis.
Highlighting Ganduje’s role in stabilizing the APC, Okpala said the chairman has consistently worked to unify party ranks and maintain a strong relationship with both President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
“Dr. Ganduje has shown leadership, worked round the clock to unify party members… yet some recalcitrant elements ignored his call for calm and opted for violence,” he said.
He warned that the attack sets a dangerous precedent, especially given the presence of governors and senior party officials at the meeting.
“Politics is about engagement, not violence. There is no room for thuggery in today’s political landscape,” he added.
The APC North-East meeting, intended to fine-tune regional party strategies, ended in disarray following the incident.
Okpala concluded with a call for restraint and peaceful political engagement, warning that Nigeria’s image and democratic future must not be sacrificed on the altar of partisan aggression.
