Activities in Abuja were disrupted on Friday as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) opened its 8th National Convention at Eagle Square under heavy security, with accredited journalists reportedly barred, harassed and forced to trek long distances to access the venue. Police and soldiers cordoned off major roads leading to the square, restricting movement around the city centre and complicating coverage of one of the party’s most important gatherings ahead of the 2027 elections.
Several reporters said they were turned back at checkpoints despite carrying valid accreditation tags, while some alleged that security operatives threatened them as they attempted to gain entry. Others who eventually got into the venue reportedly sought temporary shelter at the Nasarawa State Pavilion before being asked to leave following verbal exchanges with party delegates.
The convention formally began on Friday night with President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, governors, ministers, lawmakers and thousands of delegates in attendance. The APC has presented the gathering as a major institutional event to ratify its leadership structure, affirm outcomes from lower-level congresses and reinforce party unity.
Much of the convention, however, was shaped by a consensus arrangement that had already narrowed competition for several National Working Committee positions. Party officials had defended the approach before the event, saying zoning and federal character principles guided the allocation of offices and insisting the process was orderly and transparent.
One key figure at the centre of the convention is Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, who had already been serving as APC national chairman before the gathering. He emerged in July 2025 to complete the unexpired term following the exit of Abdullahi Ganduje, and the convention was widely expected to consolidate that leadership continuity rather than radically alter it.
Despite the party’s efforts to project unity and discipline, the conduct of security personnel outside the venue drew immediate concern. For many observers, the reported treatment of journalists stood in contrast to the APC’s message of openness and democratic order.
While the convention underscored the party’s organizational strength and ability to stage a tightly controlled national event, the complaints over access and intimidation threatened to overshadow its political message, leaving questions about transparency hanging over an exercise designed to showcase cohesion and control.
