Newsmen has learned that a phalanx of anti-graft operatives were attacked on Sunday night while carrying out a search warrant at the apartment of Abdullahi Adamu, chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
According to two sources familiar with the situation, including one of the officers involved, agents from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrived at Mr Adamu’s house on Ali Akilu Crescent, near the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, around 8:00 p.m. and were met with resistance from police orderlies attached to the politician.
According to our sources, a standoff started soon after the police officers stated that no one would be allowed to access the premises because it was already after 6:00 p.m. Despite being shown a warrant signed by a judge, the officers insisted. The content of the warrant was not immediately clear, but Mr Adamu had faced corruption allegations whose probe might still be active.
UPDATE: APC National Chairman, Adamu, National Secretary, Omisore Allegedly Resigns
“The police officers said no one can enter the house because it was already past 6:00 p.m. and already late for any search operation,” one of our sources said under anonymity to discuss the operation. “They said they won’t allow anyone inside even if they go back to bring the judge that signed the warrant.”
The officers, who arrived in four trucks, spent hours unsuccessfully attempting to mediate the situation. There were no casualties reported during the standoff, which one source described as “physically intense.” Police and EFCC spokespeople were unavailable for comment between the early hours of Monday and the start of business.
The clash occurred as pressure mounted on Mr Adamu to resign as the ruling party’s national chairman. The push was largely motivated by Mr Adamu’s refusal to back President Bola Tinubu at the APC’s presidential primary in June 2022. The party chairman also did not back Mr Tinubu during the presidential election, despite attending campaign rallies as a face-saving tactic, according to party insiders.
According to reports, Mr Adamu’s continuing occupation of the party’s leadership had become increasingly untenable five months after the presidential election and six weeks after Mr Tinubu was sworn in as president.
REVEALED: How Ribadu, Uzodinma ‘Forced’ Adamu To Resign As APC Chair
“He has no business being the chairman of the party,” a source at the party’s national headquarters said. “He has shown his hand too much, and we want him to bow out now and allow the president to concentrate on important businesses of the country.”
Mr Adamu almost revealed on television last week that he had disagreements with the president dating back to the primaries and the 2023 campaign, but understated the seriousness of those disagreements overall.
Mr Tinubu has not publicly commented on Mr Adamu’s destiny, but there were reports over the weekend that anonymous aides to the president attempted to urge Mr Adamu to resign before the president’s return from an African Union conference in Nairobi.
On Sunday night, media outlets controlled by Mr Tinubu’s aides reported that Mr Adamu had resigned following a coordinated intervention by national security advisor Nuhu Ribadu and Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma.
Two members of the party’s national working body acknowledged hearing Mr Adamu had resigned, but none was able to confirm evidence of his resignation, with one strongly condemning the chairman for not informing members of his move.
APC Chair, Adamu Vows To Wait For Tinubu’s Return After Reported Resignation
“If he had resigned as we have heard through different people, then it is good for the party,” one of the working committee members said. “But since he couldn’t respect us enough to officially brief us, we also won’t accord him any respect by calling him to confirm directly from him whether he stepped down or not.”
Mr Adamu repeatedly declined comments on the entire controversy on Sunday night, telling The Gazette he was “waiting for whatever would happen” without elaborating. A party spokesman also declined comments.
But Mr Adamu has maintained that he won’t be stepping down, sources said. The former Nasarawa governor and senator reportedly told allies that he wouldn’t be pushed around like Godwin Emefiele, the former central bank governor who was disgraced from office and handed over to the national intelligence outfit SSS.
Since Mr Adamu was elected as chairman at the national convention of the party, his removal must closely follow the party’s constitution, or it might be susceptible to successful litigation if he decides to challenge any transgressions on the part of the party. Attempts to remove him may come at the party’s national caucus gathering scheduled for this week.
REVEALED: Tinubu ‘Ordered’ Adamu’s Resignation, Kyari To Takeover
Notwithstanding his fierce political gamesmanship, Mr Adamu’s exit as APC chairman appeared more likely than not to be dispositive, as party members said his open confrontation with the president has never been historically successful for any party chairman, especially during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration when several party chairmen who tried to were eased out.
“No party chairman has ever picked a battle with the president and won,” a member said under anonymity Sunday night. “Abdullahi Adamu won’t be the first — not under Bola Tinubu.”
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