Tear Gas, Tight Security Mar APC National Convention In Abuja

There was confusion and frustration on Friday at Eagle Square, Abuja, the venue of the 8th National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as many delegates and journalists were denied access to the event.

It was gathered that several accredited participants were left stranded outside the venue after being unable to obtain entry tags, raising concerns over the organisation of the high-profile political gathering.

According to Daily Trust, many journalists covering the convention were reportedly denied accreditation tags, preventing them from gaining entry into the venue.

Some media practitioners, who spoke with newsmen, decried what they described as “poor arrangement” by the organisers, noting that repeated efforts to secure access proved abortive.

A journalist, who identified herself simply as Seyi, expressed frustration over the situation.

She said, “We made several attempts to get our tags from the Media and Publicity Committee, but nothing worked. It is surprising that access to such an important event is this difficult.”

Delegates were not spared the ordeal, as many were also seen stranded at the entrance, unable to gain access despite travelling from different parts of the country.

Security presence at the venue was heavy, with stern-looking operatives positioned at strategic points leading to the square.

In a bid to control the surging crowd, some of the operatives fired tear gas canisters at delegates and journalists attempting to force their way into the venue.

A delegate, Mallam Auwal Umar, told our correspondent that one of his colleagues fainted after being affected by the tear gas.

He said, “One of our people collapsed after inhaling the tear gas. This is not what we expected at a national convention.”

A security official at the scene, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said operatives were acting on strict directives.

According to him, no individual without a valid tag was allowed into the venue under any circumstances.

He added that the deployment of tear gas became necessary when security personnel felt overwhelmed by the crowd.

The official said, “We have clear instructions not to allow anyone without proper identification into the venue. The tear gas was used when the crowd became uncontrollable.”

Reports indicate that about 8,453 delegates are expected to participate in the convention, where they will ratify the re-election of 30 members of the party’s National Working Committee.

As of 5:30 pm, many delegates were still outside the venue struggling to gain entry.

Meanwhile, delegates continued to wait for the arrival of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is expected to formally declare the convention open.

The situation, however, has cast a shadow over the exercise, with stakeholders calling for better coordination in future party events.