By SUZAN EDEH

BARELY six hours to the ward congress of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bauchi State, unknown arsonists have burnt down the party’s secretariat along Gombe Road in Bauchi, the state capital.

It was learnt that the party secretariat was burnt down at 2 am, yesterday, few hours before the ward congress which was expected to commence by 8am. However, undeterred, the party still went ahead to conduct the ward congresses despite the incident.

An official of the party who spoke on condition of anonymity blamed the arson on a faction of the party. He alleged that all the office equipment and other materials inside the office were looted by the hoodlums before setting the secretariat on fire. He also alleged that the party was polarised along two chairmanship aspirants in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state police command, ASP, Mohammed Haruna said “information at our disposal indicates that unknown hoodlums burnt down part of the Buachi Local Government secretariat of APC at 2am. No life was lost during the fire incident and the value of the property destroyed is yet to be ascertained. We have commenced investigation.”
The state Interim Chairman of APC, Senator Mohammed Mohammed told Vanguard on the telephone that, “we are just going to the secretariat now. I will call you back in the next one hour,” but had not called as at the time of going to the press.