With the heightened political activities, in the country residents living close to the national headquarters of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) are bracing for more inconveniences as the secretariat is now a beehive of activities.
The secretariat, Buhari House, is located at No. 40, Blantyre Street, in the Wuse 2 area of Abuja.
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Other major buildings on the street include Valencia Hotel, Barcelona Hotel, the Stallion Court and ECWA Church. The secretariat is also linked to the ever-busy Aminu Kano Crescent.
Daily Trust reports that the party’s national secretariat was relocated from its former place on No 6, Bissau Street, Zone 6, Wuse District, Abuja, following the merger of four opposition parties to form the APC in 2013.
The opposition parties that collapsed their structures to form the APC were the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
The issues
Motorists, residents and commuters, who spoke to Daily Trust, complained how the restriction of movement around the area, whenever the party is holding a major event, is becoming a recurring inconvenience they have to live with.
They said any time there was a major event, the only road linking the party’s national secretariat and other streets in the area are barricaded by security operatives to provide protection to top political actors.
Similarly, vehicular movement around the area is restricted by stern-looking well-armed security operatives.
Motorists and commuters find it tough getting access to the party’s secretariat and these institutions in the area as gridlock usually takes a toll on them.
They said the situation was often made worse as sometimes no notice was given prior to the blockage subjecting them to untold hardship.
Some of the residents also complained of the noise which usually emanates from the secretariat during some major events at the secretariat.
They said musicians usually storm the party’s headquarters showcasing their musical talents and beg for money from dignitaries whenever there are such gatherings.
A taxi driver, who simply gave his name as Chris, said he has lost a lot of opportunities because he avoids the area for fear of traffic or roadblocks around the party’s secretariat, whenever he was aware of some events happening at the secretariat.
He said, “It’s not my route anymore. I was once locked up in the traffic for over one hour in front of that secretariat so I don’t go there again.”
Some customers, who lodged in the hotels close to the secretariat, also complained about the inconvenience they go through adding that their privacy was no longer guaranteed.
Similarly, a staff in one of the institutions around the secretariat who pleaded not to be named said acquiring the property for political party activities and administration in the area was a big mistake the party’s management had made.
He said relocating the secretariat to a place not congested would better serve the party and Nigerians operating in the Wuse 2 area, and especially those who ply Blantyre Street on a daily basis.
He said, “Well, moving it to a more spacious area will help matters. That will save the headache.”
Sale of forms, screening moved to other venues
Daily Trust reports that sequel to the tightness of the area, the national leadership of the party had to move the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms for the 2023 polls from the headquarters to the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.
The aspirants equally submitted the forms they obtained, to party officials at the ICC after filling them as required by the party.
Similarly, the screening of various categories of aspirants took place in two different hotels. This was also because of lack of space at the headquarters.
Relocate it before 2027 polls – Stakeholders
A chieftain of the party from the South West, Chief Jackson Lekan Ojo, who spoke with Daily Trust in a telephone interview, said the party’s executive should put in place strategic measures to acquire a large piece of land at the outskirts of Abuja to build a befitting secretariat before the 2027 general polls.
He said doing this will save the party the headache of going to hotels for screening of aspirants or sales of forms for elections among others, arguing that “it is very wrong and it can only happen in Nigeria because we are in a lawless territory”.
Chief Ojo, a political analyst and security expert, said: “If the party’s management is sensitive to the issue of security, safety and convenience of Nigerians, something like this should be at the outskirts.
“If the ruling party can break the peace law, safety and security law, the human convenience law, traffic law, what do you expect others to do?
“Before the 2027 general elections, they should be able to acquire land and build a befitting and accommodating secretariat where if their visitors have 2,000 cars they should be able to accommodate it in their compound. This is a ruling party that controls the centre and 22 states.
“We see what we are facing today in Nigeria and you now build your office in the heart of Abuja, where you know quite well that a mammoth crowd would be trooping in and out from time to time. This is wrong.
“This, of course, will raise the issue of traffic and some people will be compelled to park their vehicles and walk for about a kilometre to their offices. And there is no security monitoring those cars.
“The situation is not safe, because in the case of any emergency, how will people move when there is heavy traffic or roads are barricaded because of the activities of a political party?” he asked.
Another chieftain of the party, Comrade Musa Ali Otigba, also told our correspondent in a telephone chat, that relocating the secretariat will be the best option, but stressed it shouldn’t be done in a hurry.
He said, “For the fact that it is the only street that leads to the major road, some people passing there may not be APC members; they may be passing there for their daily activities. We used to experience heavy traffic there because of the personalities that come to the party’s secretariat.
“So relocating it is a good idea in my own opinion so that we can reduce the traffic on that road so that it can be easily accessible by other passersby. But that doesn’t have to be in a hurry. Maybe after the 2023 general elections.”
We are considering a second entrance – APC
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, didn’t answer his call for comment as of the time of filing this report.
However, a member of the APC national leadership has said it is considering the possibility of creating another entrance on the other side of the secretariat where there is an express road for easy access.
A top official at the party’s national headquarters who spoke with our correspondent last night on condition of anonymity, however, said the party is being careful because it has to be in line with provisions of town planning.
“It is an administrative issue and don’t forget we bought that building. It’s not rented, so it won’t be easy to just relocate. But what I can tell you is that we are mulling a second entrance where we have the media centre. We are considering having another entrance on that side. But don’t forget we have to contend with city planning to achieve that.
“We are considering that to decongest the area. Don’t forget, cars are also being stolen there. A journalist has lost a vehicle there in the past. One of the directors just lost his vehicle there too and there have been cases like that. So we are working on decongesting the area,” he said.
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