CHIEFTAINS of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State have continued to bemoan the death of a member of the state executive council, Abdulsalami Ginsau, in an Abuja hotel, describing the incident as unfortunate and sad.
Ginsau, a legal practitioner and the state Assistant Organising Secretary of the party, died after he fell into the shaft of an out of order elevator at the Chida International Hotel, in the Utako during the party’s recent national convention in Abuja.
A member of the Kano State contingent to the national convention, who pleaded anonymity, said that, “his death was most unfortunate and sad. He was only recently elected assistant organizing secretary and things were looking promising for him.”
Contrary to reports that Ginsau died after being trapped inside the hotel elevator, a chieftain of the party noted that Ginsau fell into the shaft of the damaged elevator.
Over 2,000 delegates of the party had stormed the hotel seeking shelter and accommodation despite the fact that the party officially reserved only 150 rooms.
It was gathered from hotel staff that the overcrowding caused by party faithful had put “extensive pressure on the hotel facilities, including the elevator, which was eventually put out of order by disorderly delegates.”
“From what we have reviewed, the rowdy party members refused to adhere to instructions and even threatened hotel staff who directed them on protocol,” said a source in the hotel.
The elevator had malfunctioned and was stuck on the fourth floor while it had been forced open in subsequent floors as maintenance was initiated.
It was feared that Ginsau, who lodged on the third floor had walked into the elevator where he plunged to his death, oblivious of its condition or the notice, early on that fateful Friday morning.
According to a source in the hotel, “from what we saw, the deceased might have been saved had some of those who were loitering in the hallway warned him as he hurried into the elevator. The hotel staff were not even informed of what had happened.”
As the police at the Utako Station continue with its investigations, the hotel management has tried to dispel misinformation concerning the incident.
Despite speculations, the hotel management has expressed “regret over the incident and the conduct of the party delegates especially those who failed to inform the management earlier. This is sad because we are talking of a life here.”
The management noted that it is cooperating with the police on the “sad incident” and has expressed “our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased, the people and Government of Kano.”
The hotel management has also hinted that it will be reviewing its operational guidelines to avert any future occurrence, “as we don’t pray for an incident like this to happen again.”
