Despite controversies trailing some states, Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) inaugurated 34 states’ chairmen of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The state chairmen who were inaugurated on Thursday, February in Abuja emerged from the state congresses conducted in October 2021 nationwide while many of the states witnessed parallel congresses.
With this development, Minister of Interior Affairs, Rauf Aregbesola; Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Festus Keyamo, and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, among others have lost political structures in their home states.
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Some of the states with parallel congresses included Kwara, Osun, Delta, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Kano, Oyo, Niger, among others which were yet to be amicably resolved before Thursday’s inauguration.
However, Kano and Sokoto states were conspicuously missing on the list.
The inaugurated state chairmen include Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu (Abia), Alh Ibrahim Bilal (Adamawa), Mr Augustine Enefiok Ekanem (Akwa Ibom), Hon Basil Ejike (Anambra), Alh Babayo Aliyu Misau (Bauchi), Dr. Dennis Otiotio (Bayelsa), Mr Augustine Agada (Benue), Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori (Borno), and Mr. Alphonsus Orgar Eba Esq. (Cross River).
Others include Elder Omeni Sabotie (Delta), Hon. Stanley Okoro Emegha (Ebonyi), retired Col. David Imuse (Edo), Barr. Omotosho Paul Ayodele (Ekiti), Chief Ogochukwu Agballah (Enugu), Mr Nitte K Amangal (Gombe), Dr Macdonald Ebere (Imo), Hon. Aminu Sani Gumel (Jigawa), Air Cdre Emmanuel Jekada (Rtd) (Kaduna), Alh. Muhammed Sani (Katsina), Alh. Abubakar Muhammed Kana (Kebbi) and Hon. Abdullahi Bello (Kogi).
The rest are Prince Sunday Adeniran Fagbemi (Kwara), Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi (Lagos), Mr John D Mamman (Nasarawa), Hon. Haliru Zakari Jikantoro (Niger), Chief Yemi Sanusi (Ogun), Engr Ade Adetimehin (Ondo), Prince Adegboyega Famodun (Osun), Hon Isaac Omodewu (Oyo), Hon Rufus Bature (Plateau), Chief Emeka Bekee (Rivers). Hon Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi (Taraba), Alh Muhammed A. Gadaka (Yobe), Alh. Tukur Umar Danfulani (Zamfara) and Alh. Abdulmalik Usman (FCT).
While inaugurating the 34-state chairmen at the national secretariat of APC, Governor Mai Mala Buni, who was represented by the national secretary, John James Akpanudoedehe, congratulated the new state APC leaders.
Akpanudoedehe said: “I have been asked to issue you certificate of return as duly elected chairmen of your states.”
Speaking on behalf chairmen, Chairman of the APC state chairmen Forum, Alhaji Bukar Dalori, expressed gratitude to the Buni-led National Caretaker Committee.
According to Borno state chairman, Buni has led APC “with an unimpeachable commitment to move the party forward and carrying all members and leaders along.
“In the last few months, we have witnessed leadership finesse in the manner party affairs are conducted. There is no doubt that Your Excellency has brought your experience to bear in piloting the affairs of our great party.
“Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and the limitations associated with it, your practical ingenuity to still mobilize people to join the party will go down memory lane as being uncharacteristically magnificent.
We remember vividly how all the Committees, especially the Women and Youths Mobilization Committee led by Governor Yahaya Bello deployed the media to market our party to millions of Nigerians. APC is indeed blessed with great leaders.
“On behalf of my colleagues, we wish to pledge our unalloyed loyalty to the leadership of Your Excellency and to assure you that we are all behind you all the way as your achievements have shown your sterling qualities.
“You are a great example to all of us and in the next few weeks, we shall be learning from you, the magic that brought Governors and other political bulldozers to the party.
“There was a joke among party members that when you see Governor Mai Mala Buni with an opposition leader, APC is about to witness an influx. How you do it without noise makes it even more commendable. It is in the interest of all party leaders and members to give you the deserved support. You are a blessing to our party.”
While assuring the party leadership of victory in 2023, Dalori said: “We have taken your charge in good faith and like soldiers, we shall be unrelenting in marching our party to a commanding and convincing victory in 2023.
“Let us also use this opportunity to assure members in our respective states that we shall work with every party member to ensure APC protects Nigeria from those who destroyed it in the past.”
