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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) on Thursday failed to administer oath of office to the newly-elected state Chairmen of the party, issuing only certificate of return to 35 of them.
The national leadership equally failed to recognise two states, Kano and Sokoto during the events characterised by tension, heavy security deployment, thuggery and robbery activities.
The state Chairmen issued the certificate of return include, Dr. Kingsley Ononogbu (Abia), Alh Ibrahim Bilal (Adamawa), Augustine Enefiok Ekanem (Akwa Ibom), Hon Basil Ejike (Anambra), Babayo Aliyu Misau (Bauchi), Dr. Dennis Otiotio (Bayelsa), Augustine Agada (Benue), Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori (Borno), and Alphonsus Orgar Eba Esq. (Cross River).
Others are Elder Omeni Sabotie(Delta), Hon. Stanley Okoro Emegha (Ebonyi), retired Col David Imuse (Edo), Barr. Omotosho Paul Ayodele (Ekiti), Chief Ogochukwu Agballah (Enugu), Nitte K Amangal (Gombe), Dr Macdonald Ebere (Imo), Hon. Aminu Sani Gumel (Jigawa), Air Cdre Emmanuel Jekada (Rtd) (Kaduna), Muhammed Sani (Katsina), Abubakar Muhammed Kana (Kebbi) and Hon. Abdullahi Bello (Kogi).
Completing the list include; Prince Sunday Adeniran Fagbemi (Kwara), Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi (Lagos), 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), Muhammed A. Gadaka (Yobe), Alh. Tukur Umar Danfulani (Zamfara) and Abdulmalik Usman (FCT).
APC CECPC Secretary, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, who issued the certificate without entertaining questions from newsmen, simply told the chairmen that; “I have been directed to issue certificate of return to you.”
Earlier on Thursday morning, the National headquarters of the party was practically a tensed battleground ahead of the anticipated inauguration of the newly-elected State Chairmen.
Afraid that protest might breakout during the event due to the crises rocking many of the state chapters that produced parallel State executives, the leadership of the party had massively deplored countless number of security agents that took over almost all the entire Blantyre Street housing the ruling party Secretariat.
The party’s national leadership, the CECPC, had late Wednesday night issued a circular, ordering the Secretariat staff to stay away from work in an attempt to have only few manageable staff for fear of breakdown of law and order.
The deployment of the security agents had come as surprise to many of the staff unaware of the circular when they were denied entry into the Secretariat on arrival in the early hours.
Although the security agents were civil in screening the few pockets of persons allowed into the Secretariat premises, they had however grounded vehicular and human movements along the entire Secretariat.
Interestingly, not even the supporters of the about-to-be inaugurated State executives, drumming and dancing, were allowed entrance or to near the Secretariat.
Speaking to Daily Sun, a security personnel attached to the party said: “You know we can’t afford to take chances.
You know the kind of tension and crises the congresses that produced the state executives have been generating.
If the national leadership didn’t take this security measures, there could be breakdown of law and order with some of the disgruntled factions coming here to protest.”
As the day progresses, the security agents had a hectic time controlling the surging crowd of political supporters, resulting in near stampede and almost pulling down the main entrace gate to the Secretariat.
Characterised by robbery and thuggery activities, at the end of the event, no fewer than 11 iPhone handsets were declared missing with few persons arrested.
Meanwhile, in his prepared address at the event, the state chairmen of the ruling party, Hon Bukar Dalori of Borno State expressed gratitude to leadership, all party leaders and members for the confidence reposed in them.
“We have watched Your Excellency lead our party 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.
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 members to ensure APC protects Nigeria from those who destroyed it in the past,” he said.
