- Safiu Kehinde
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has come under tight and heavy security ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Convention.
The event slated to hold today at the Eagles Square had prompted heavy deployment of security personnel across the capital city with more concentration on the venue of the event and its immediate environment.
Posts shared on X in the early hours of Friday showed security personnel mainly from Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Service (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other sister agencies surveilling the area with barricades spotted along some access roads.
According to reports, development forced some residents to trek to their respective workplaces as traffic gridlock hit major roads due to the blockage of several routes as well as security presence on the road.
With over 8,000 delegates expected to converge at the capital city from the 36 states, the convention organising committee adopted strict security measures as the convention goes under way.
The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (Rtd), would, alongside former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai (Rtd), and former Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Abubakar, embark on supervision of the security architecture of the Eagles Square on Thursday evening.
They were accompanied by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who expressed confidence in the security setup.
Meanwhile, the capital city is draped with the colours of the APC’s red, green, white, and blue flags as the stage for the national convention has been set.
Several leaders of the ruling party and political office holders had taken turn to inspect the venue.
As captured in pictures shared on X, the area where polling will be held has been set up with pavilions for each state designated and marked out.
President Bola Tinubu is billed to lead the charge at the convention alongside 31 APC state governors, and members of his cabinet.
The party had also said it would adopt a consensus approach to its convention in demonstration of what it terms unity and orderliness in the party.