APC Inaugurates State Chairmen Without Oath of Office

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has inaugurated newly-elected state chairmen of the party after more than four and half hours delay, however, without an oath of office administered on them.

The event scheduled to commence at 2pm did not start until a few minutes to 6pm.

But, while the state chairmen were handed certificates, no oath of office was administered on them.

Prior to the ceremony, security was beefed up at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja.

The increased security at the Buhari House was part of the effort by the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) to forestall breakdown of law and order especially, from the aggrieved members of the party

Already, the party is faced with crisis in Osun, Ogun, Kwara, Kano, Zamfara, Lagos, and Ekiti, among others, where parallel congresses were held and reconciliation has not not been achieved.

Secretary of the party, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, who inaugurated them said, “I’ve been asked to come and issue you certificates of return to you as duly elected state chairmen of our party.”

Those inaugurated were Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu (Abia), Mr. Ibrahim Bilal (Adamawa), Mr Augustine Ekanem (Akwa Ibom), Hon. Basil Ejike (Anambra), Mr. Babayo Aliyu Misau (Bauchi), Dr. Dennis Otiotio (Bayelsa), Mr. Augustine Agada (Benue), Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori (Borno), and Mr. Alphonsus Eba (Cross River).

Also were Mr. Omeni Sabotie (Delta), Hon. Stanley Emegha (Ebonyi), Col. David Imuse (rtd) (Edo), Mr. Omotosho Ayodele (Ekiti), Mr. Ogochukwu Agballah (Enugu), Mr. Nitte Amangal (Gombe), Dr. Macdonald Ebere (Imo), Hon. Aminu Sani Gumel (Jigawa), Air Cdre Emmanuel Jekada (Rtd) (Kaduna), Mr. Muhammed Sani (Katsina), Mr. Abubakar Kana (Kebbi) and Hon. Abdullahi Bello
(Kogi).

Others included Mr. Sunday Fagbemi (Kwara), Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi (Lagos), Mr. John Mamman (Nasarawa), Hon. Haliru Jikantoro (Niger), Mr. Yemi Sanusi (Ogun), Mr. Ade Adetimehin (Ondo), Mr. Adegboyega Famodun (Osun), Hon. Isaac Omodewu (Oyo), Hon. Rufus Bature (Plateau), Chief Emeka Bekee (Rivers). Hon. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi (Taraba), Mr. Muhammed Gadaka (Yobe), Mr. Tukur Danfulani (Zamfara) and Mr. Abdulmalik Usman (FCT).

Meanwhile, the state chairmen from Sokoto and Kano were absent at the inauguration.

Speaking on behalf of others, Hon. Bukar Dalori of Borno State, expressed gratitude to the leadership of the party for the confidence reposed in them and pledged unalloyed loyalty to the leadership of the party.

“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.

“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,” Dalori said.

He stressed that as state chairmen, they had taken the party’s charge in good faith and like soldiers, would be unrelenting in marching the party to a commanding and convincing victory in 2023.