Aliyu Bello, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State, on Tuesday condemned the burning of brooms by disgruntled party members in Gayam Ward of Lafia Local Government Area. The act followed a protest by supporters of former Inspector-General of Police Abubakar Adamu, who lost the party's governorship primary to Senator Ahmed Wadada. Bello made the remarks during a rally organised by APC supporters, which included a street-sweeping and sanitation exercise in the ward.
Bello dismissed the broom-burning as political theatrics, insisting it would not affect the party's popularity or grassroots support ahead of the 2027 general elections. He affirmed that the broom remained a symbol of the APC's ideology and achievements, rooted in governance rather than imagery. "Brooms can be burnt, but the achievements and impact of our party in the state and the ideology behind the broom cannot be burnt," he said.
He attributed the party's relevance to infrastructural development, youth empowerment, employment opportunities, women's inclusion, and peaceful coexistence under Governor Abdullahi Sule's administration. He also cited interventions by the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu as key to the party's continued support. Bello urged party members to prioritise collective interest over personal ambition and challenged those behind the protest to account for their contributions during their time in office.
Uba Arikya, Deputy Chairman of Lafia Local Government Area, said the Sule administration's developmental strides were evident across the state. He stressed that politics should focus on governance and welfare, not incitement. Sidi Ndagi, an APC chieftain in Gayam Ward, called on residents to back APC candidates in the 2027 elections and commended Sule for his developmental efforts. The rally drew a large turnout of APC supporters carrying party banners, posters and brooms.
Aliyu Bello condemns the burning of APC brooms while simultaneously using brooms as props in a public rally, exposing the party's contradictory relationship with its own symbolism. The protest by Abubakar Adamu's supporters was a direct response to a disputed primary, yet Bello framed it as an attack on party ideology rather than address the internal dissent. By attributing APC's strength solely to Governor Sule's projects and Tinubu's federal interventions, the leadership reduces party loyalty to transactional support. This reinforces the perception that APC in Nasarawa thrives on personality-driven politics, not ideological unity.
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