The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, introduced six new members into its ranks on Friday night, even as protests emerged from the party’s Kogi, Abia, and Cross River state chapters.
The inauguration comes after earlier efforts to swear in these officials on Thursday night were thwarted due to opposition from Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello and other stakeholders representing Abia and Cross River.
The newly inaugurated officials are as follows: Ali Bukar Dalori from Borno State as Deputy National Chairman, North; Garba Datti Muhammad from Kaduna State as National Vice Chairman, North West; Prof. Abdul Karim Abubakar Kana from Nasarawa State as National Legal Adviser; Donatus Nwankpa from Abia State as National Welfare Secretary; Mary Alile Idele, PhD, from Edo State as National Woman Leader; and Duro Meseko from Kogi State as Deputy National Publicity Secretary.
Ikani Shuaibu Okolo, the previous nominee for the North Central Zonal Organizing Secretary, was excluded to appease Governor Yahaya Bello, as his nominee for the Deputy National Publicity Secretary role, Ismail Yahaya, was dropped.
Ganduje who acknowledged that the party has taken serious notice of Yahaya said he would be put forward for other appointments.
He said those who lost out in Abia and Cross River states would also be considered for appointments as a way of satisfying all the aggrieved.
Addressing the event which begun at about 8:40pm, Ganduje said the party is currently putting its house in order because it is determined to win the forthcoming off-season governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.
According to him, the party would be in the various state capitals to inaugurate its National Campaign Councils for the three governorship elections, as a way of connecting with the grassroots.
He said; “There is no doubt that during the last meeting of the National Executive Committee NEC of our party, the NWC was mandated to undertake some tasks on behalf of NEC.
“We have succeeded. We consulted with stakeholders, governors and others. We know there are some aggrieved people and they are very important. We will discuss with them and I will speak later on that.
“We have taken a decision that every Wednesday, we will conduct our weekly NWC meeting. It is very important. Also, we have already made a resolution that our party as an institution will be active throughout the year and not just during election periods. Our party will have operational and functional offices right from the wards, LGs, States, Zonal and national offices as you can see. We believe we will be able to abide by all these.
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“Very soon we will launch the National Campaign Councils for our three states – Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi- going into elections this year. Instead of inaugurating the councils here in Abuja, we have decided to do so in the various state capitals so that we can connect with the various stakeholders.
“All of you are competent. We have seen your credentials and you have been nominated and elected through due process by the various stakeholders and therefore we congratulate you.
“As earlier mentioned, there is no doubt that there are some people who are also competent but you can only fill a person.
“From Kogi state, we have Ismail Yahaya. We have taken note of him and he will be engaged in one way or another. We have Ikani Shuaibu Okolo from Kogi state. He too will be engaged appropriately in our government. Mrs Obinna from Abia, she took will be accommodated. Hon. Dr Stella Ekpo from Cross River. I think she is a medical doctor. She and two others from Cross River state, according to the outcome of our dialogue, will be accommodated in our government.
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“With these, I think we have achieved complete agreement and dialogue. We have achieved dialogue and we have deepened dialogue within our party and this is our culture. We are not dictators but that does not mean that everyone must necessarily agree with you”, he added.
The oaths of allegiance and office were administered on the new officials by Barr. Mustapha Abubakar, a Notary Public.