Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were on Tuesday locked out and denied access into their offices at the secretariat of the ruling party by security agents believed to be acting on the order of the Inspector- General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu.

Several security personnel, including the special forces of the Department of State Services (DSS), had arrived the secretariat in the early hours, parading and stopping members of the National Working Committee (NWC) loyal to the suspended National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, from gaining access into the complex.

Sources told newsmen that the IGP gave the order through the FCT Commissioner of Police to the APC chief security officer.

According to the party source, the IGP has also scheduled a meeting with the members of the national leadership for today’s afternoon.

The source said that the meeting would centre on the swearing-in of Worgu Boms as the replacement for Chief Victor Giadom as National Deputy Secretary by the South-South National Vice Chairman, Hilliard Eta.

An Appellate Court sitting in Abuja had last week upheld the suspension of Oshiomhole, enmeshing the party in a deep leadership crisis.

The armed security personnel had in the early hours of Tuesday taken over the vicinity of the secretariat, screening journalists covering the party, staff and visitors before allowing them entry into the complex.

The situation, which has thrown the staff into serious confusion, has created anxiety over the future of the party and employment with no national officer in sight.