Senior aide to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Oliver Okpala, has reacted to the weekend attack on Dr Abdullahi Ganduje during the APC North-East stakeholders meeting in Gombe State, describing the incident as disturbing and unjustified.
The meeting, which took place on Sunday, reportedly turned chaotic after a declaration was made endorsing President Bola Tinubu as the sole presidential candidate for the 2027 elections—without initially mentioning Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The declaration came from the Zonal Vice Chairman, North-East, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, sparking tension among attendees.
According to reports, the omission of Vice President Shettima from the motion caused a rift within the gathering, forcing some party leaders—including Dr Ganduje—to leave the venue under heavy security. Attempts by Deputy National Chairman, North, Alhaji Bukar Dalori, to ease tensions by acknowledging Shettima’s role in his own remarks reportedly failed to calm the situation.
Okpala issued a statement from Abuja on Monday condemning the disruption. He described the acts of violence and aggression by some party members as “grievously irresponsible and unpatriotic.”
“There is no space for violence in Nigeria’s political space presently,” Okpala said. He called on all party members to “resort to the civilized tenet of political decency, decorum and comportment in their political activities.”
Okpala also noted that Dr Ganduje had clearly tried to address the concerns by reminding the gathering that Tinubu and Shettima share a joint mandate under the constitution, but some individuals were not willing to listen.
“Even when Dr. Ganduje tried to diffuse the tension by letting them know that it’s a joint ticket, these individuals whose actions looked recalcitrant by nature failed to see reason to agree with his genuine submission,” he said.
He further noted that the attack was not only on Ganduje as an individual but also on the office he represents. “This was not just an assault on Dr Ganduje but to the entire APC national leadership which he leads.”
Okpala expressed concern over the rising intolerance within political circles and recalled how similar actions in Nigeria’s early history contributed to national instability. “It was this kind of unwarranted political crisis in the western region in the first republic that developed into a major national crisis,” he warned.
He praised security agencies for stepping in quickly to prevent a full-scale breakdown of order.
“Thanks to the Nigerian police personnel and other security operatives who acted promptly, preventing them from physically attacking the National Chairman and stopping the situation from degenerating into total anarchy and chaos.”
Calling for restraint, Okpala urged political leaders across Nigeria to advise their followers to stay calm and embrace peaceful means of resolving conflicts. “Politics is not about violence, it is dialogue, lobbying and consultations,” he said. “No matter what people feel, they should control their tempers.”
He also reaffirmed Ganduje’s commitment to unity within the APC and noted his strong relationship with both President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima. “His closeness and relationship to the President and Vice President is not in doubt, as it is as solid as the rock of Gibraltar,” he added.
