NEW All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on Sunday pledged to get cracking immediately and work towards redressing all perceived cases of injustice within the party.
He spoke in Abuja at the swearing-in of the newly elected members of the party’s National Working Committee, NWC, led by him, where they also took oaths of allegiance.
In his acceptance speech, the veteran labour leader and former Edo State Governor urged all members of the party to support and cooperate with the new executive to reposition the party, saying that they must all remain in the party and address its challenges together.
In his speech at the end of the just concluded national convention at the Eagle Square, Abuja, President Muhammadu Buhari charged winners to be humble in victory, while advising the losers also to be gallant and gracious.
He said that the exercise was not about winner-takes-all but for building a party that will serve the nation diligently.
His words: “I salute aspirants who for the common good, had to shelve personal ambition and stood down for others they were to have contended with.
“I also salute those who went the whole way, contested, were voted for, and who emerged victorious, or otherwise.
“Everything was done in an atmosphere of give-and-take, knowing that in such contest only one person would ultimately win.
“Let the victors be humble in victory, and let those who didn’t win be also gallant and gracious in defeat.
“We are members of one party, and it is not about winner-takes-all. Rather, the purpose is to build a party that will put its best foot forward, and serve our country to the best of its ability,’’ he said.
He saluted the patience, forbearance and spirit of accommodation that were displayed throughout the period of the convention.
Buhari also commended all the delegates and those who participated in ensuring the smooth conduct of the convention.
“You were all here through the raw weather that persisted from yesterday (Saturday) till today (Sunday), but you bore it patiently.
“You persevered through the night, and deep into another day. Thank you very much.
“At the end of all proceedings, I believe we have put in place an executive that we all can be proud of, one that would lead our party from victory to victory, from progress to progress, and one that Nigerians can be proud of.”
The president thanked and congratulated members of the immediate past executive of the party led by Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, for their selfless service to the party.
He urged them to always lend the wisdom of their experience to the new executive members so as to build a cohesive party that would do the country good.
“In our country, not only the labour of our heroes past shall not be in vain, the labour of the current generation shall also be rewarded.
“APC will serve Nigeria to the best of our God-given abilities, and move our country to its right position in the comity of nations,’’ he said.
In their separate remarks at the event, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, challenged the new leadership of the APC to urgently address the challenges facing the party.
The new APC National Chaiman emerged after an affirmative vote by the party’s delegates from the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory at the party’s National Convention which began on Saturday in Abuja.
Thereby, he became the sole chairmanship candidate before the convention after his opponents, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor and Chief Clement Ebri, both former Governors of Edo and Cross River States, respectively, withdrew from the race.
Oshiomhole\’s affirmative election, along with those of 18 others for other positions, without opposition, was announced by the Chairman of the Convention Organising Committee and Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru. He succeeds another compatriot and also a former Edo State Governor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, whose tenure as national chairman of the party, ends on Monday.
Apart from him, others returned opposed are Alhaji Mai Mala Buni (National Secretary), Otunba Niyi Adebayo (Deputy National Chairman, South) and Alhaji Manasara Sani (National Vice Chairman, North-West). Others include Mr Bankole Oluwajana (National Vice Chairman, South-West), Mr Babatunde Ogala (National Legal Adviser), Alhaja Ibrahim Masari (National Welfare Officer) and Mr Jock Alamba (Deputy National Welfare Officer).
The National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party at its meeting in February, attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, had passed a resolution extending the tenure of the NWC by one year, beginning from June. But, at another NEC meeting shortly after, he had insisted that the party should organise a National Convention at the expiration of the NWC’s tenure; explaining that he changed his position on the tenure elongation of the NWC because he had been informed that it negated the party’s Constitution.
After the announcement of the election of the unopposed candidates, polling held for eight positions – National Organising Secretary, National Woman Leader, Deputy National Chairman (North) and Deputy Vice Chairman (North-East). They also included positions of National Vice Chairman (North-West), National Vice Chairman (South-South) and National Publicity Secretary.
However, results of the polling which began at about 4.30 p.m. on Saturday, with intermittent disruptions over delegates’ lists, especially from states that had parallel congresses, were still awaited as at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Indeed, voting by delegates from Imo State was stopped following fierce altercations over which list from the state would be honoured with privilege to vote. The same situation played out in Delta stand where members twice, Saturday and Sunday morning, tried to settle the logjam through fisticuff, but for the intervention of security agencies.
NAN reports that President Buhari, who left the Eagle Square at about 5 p.m. on Saturday, after casting his vote, returned to the convention arena at about 12.15 p.m. on Sunday.
He was said to have come to witness the swearing-in of the new national officers of the party, but had to go back to the Villa at about 1.20 p.m. when it became obvious that results of the elections were not ready.
Chairman of the convention committee, Badaru, had, shortly before the President departed, apologised for the delay and pleaded for more time to tidy outstanding issues to enable the results to be announced.
PHOTO: Oshiomhole (R), being sworn in by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, during the 2018 APC National Convention in Abuja on Sunday
