Police Officers STOPS EFCC Agents From Raiding Abdullahi Adamu’s Residence
Category: Nigeria News
A phalanx of anti-graft operatives came under attack on Sunday night while executing a search warrant at the residence of Abdullahi Adamu, chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Peoples Gazette reports.
The agents from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arrived around 8:00 p.m. at Mr Adamu’s house on Ali Akilu Crescent, by Aso Rock Presidential Villa, and immediately met resistance from police orderlies attached to the politician, according to two sources familiar, including one of the officers involved.
A standoff immediately ensued, PG sources said, after the police officers said no one would be permitted to enter the premises because it was already past 6:00 p.m. The officers insisted, despite being shown a warrant duly signed by a judge. The content of the warrant was not immediately clear, but Mr Adamu had faced corruption allegations whose probe might still be active.
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“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 their 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 sources said arrived in four trucks, spent hours trying unsuccessfully to resolve the matter. No casualties were reported during the standoff, which a source described as “physically intense.”
Recall many had said Mr Adamu allegedly failed to support President Bola Tinubu during the APC’s presidential primary in June 2022. The party chairman was also accused of not supporting Mr Tinubu during the presidential election, although he attended campaign rallies in what party insiders said was a face-saving measure.
Five months after the presidential election and six weeks after Mr Tinubu was sworn in as president, Mr Adamu’s continued occupation of the party’s leadership had become increasingly untenable, sources told the media platform.
“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 their 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 sources said arrived in four trucks, spent hours trying unsuccessfully to resolve the matter. No casualties were reported during the standoff, which a source described as “physically intense.”
Recall many had said Mr Adamu allegedly failed to support President Bola Tinubu during the APC’s presidential primary in June 2022. The party chairman was also accused of not supporting Mr Tinubu during the presidential election, although he attended campaign rallies in what party insiders said was a face-saving measure.
Five months after the presidential election and six weeks after Mr Tinubu was sworn in as president, Mr Adamu’s continued occupation of the party’s leadership had become increasingly untenable, sources told the media platform.
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“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 all but admitted on television last week that he had differences with the president that date back to the primaries and 2023 campaign proper but downplayed their severity overall.
Mr Tinubu has not publicly commented on Mr Adamu’s fate, but there were indications weekend that unknown aides to the president tried to pressure Mr Adamu to step down ahead of the president’s return from an African Union summit in Nairobi.
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.
“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 all but admitted on television last week that he had differences with the president that date back to the primaries and 2023 campaign proper but downplayed their severity overall.
Mr Tinubu has not publicly commented on Mr Adamu’s fate, but there were indications weekend that unknown aides to the president tried to pressure Mr Adamu to step down ahead of the president’s return from an African Union summit in Nairobi.
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.
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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.
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.
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