Opposition parties and political figures have faulted the Federal Government’s directive asking civil servants in Abuja to work from home ahead of the All Progressives Congress convention.
They described the move as an abuse of power and a threat to democratic governance.
The directive, contained in a circular issued on Thursday by the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Abdul Garba, on behalf of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, instructed workers within the Federal Secretariat to stay away from their offices on Friday.
According to the circular, all access roads leading to and around the Federal Secretariat Complex, Phases I, II and III, would be closed from Friday to Saturday due to the party’s national convention.
The convention, which began on Friday in Abuja, is expected to shape internal party decisions and preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reacting, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olabode George, described the directive as unjustifiable, saying governance should not be disrupted for a partisan event.
The PDP chieftain added that such a decision was morally disturbing and warned of its implications for the country’s democratic future.
He said, “This is a complete show of shame. Only members of your party are attending the convention, yet you shut down the civil service. Even in advanced democracies, governance is not halted for party activities.
“The head of every department and ministry is the permanent secretary; are they card-carrying members of the party?”
He warned that such actions could erode democratic values.
“This is a clear abuse of governmental power for partisan gain. Shutting down the nation’s capital because of a party convention is wrong and unacceptable.
“This APC government does not care about governance. They are only interested in politics. If this is an indication of how they intend to behave in the general election, then they need to be very careful, because only a free, fair, and credible election will be acceptable,” Abdullahi said.
He added that opposition parties might consider a boycott if electoral conditions are not improved.
From this point, if we cannot get an electoral law or an environment that guarantees credible elections, why should we participate? If all political parties are serious, we should be discussing a boycott now.”
On his part, the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Sadiq Gombe, described the directive as reckless and unfair, warning that it sends the wrong signal about how elections could be managed.
“The fact that APC is the ruling party does not justify shutting down governance. This is not about APC; it is about Nigeria and the integrity of our democracy,” he said.
Similarly, a PDP chieftain, Ali Odefa, criticised the timing of the directive, noting that the country is grappling with economic challenges, including rising global oil prices.
He urged Nigerians to take their future into their hands through the ballot, stressing that leadership decisions must reflect the interest of the people.
However, the Kwara State APC Chairman, Sunday Fagbemi, who spoke from the convention venue in Abuja, defended the directive as a proactive measure to manage traffic and ensure security.
He said the government did not declare a public holiday but only directed workers to operate from home due to the anticipated influx of people into the Federal Capital Territory.
“If you see the traffic situation, you will understand that this is a proactive measure. It is about safety and proper coordination, not politics.
“It is just a one-day programme. People should not politicise everything that has to do with the party simply because we are in government,” he said.
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If APC government is reasonable and care about governance and not politics, they could have shifted their convention to Saturday and Sunday so as not to disrupt the civil service activities.
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