The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has distanced itself from the controversies that trailed the recent announcement of board appointments, among who were some dead Nigerians.
Specifically, the APC said it was not part of the final stage of the compilation of the list, saying while the party partook in the initial stages, it was not however privy to the final outcome.
National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun disclosed this Saturday in Abuja during a dinner with journalists in his private residence.
“We have followed the issue of board appointments and I think that issue has raised a lot of controversies already.
“The only thing I want to add is that it is pretty obvious that the party was not involved in the final stages of the compilation of that list. Yes, we sent at the initial stage and I am talking of a period of two years ago. We demanded for every state to make 50 nominations which were sent to the committee in charge of the list for the purpose.
“They completed the initial exercise that time but since then a lot has happened. People have changed parties, people have died, we have three new governors that were not there when the list was compiled… Therefore, it was clear that there was obvious need for us to look at the final outcome of the exercise.
“But we were not fortunate to participate in that final stage, otherwise it is quite clear such would not have occurred. It is my sincere hope that we will be fully involved in the. review that has to now take place and any other exercise moving forward from this day”, said Chief Odigie-Oyegun.
Among the dead on the list are Sen. Francis Okpozo, who passed on at 81 in 2016. He was named Chairman, Nigerian Press Council NPC; Deputy Inspector General of Police and elder statesman, Donald Ugbaja (retd), appointed member of Consumer Protection Council and the founder of Fidei Polytechnic, Very Rev Fr Christopher Utov appointed a member of the board of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research. Fr. Utov was until his death this year, the proprietor of Fidei Polytechnic in Gboko, Benue State, the first private polytechnic in northern Nigeria. He died on March 17, 2017 in India after battling with an undisclosed disease was buried on April 13, in Gboko. Umar Dange Sokoto, former emir of Katagum in Bauchi state, who died on December 9th, was picked to join the board of the Federal Medical Centre, Azare, also in Bauchi.
Also dead but appointed are Garba Attahiru, Kaduna; Dr. Nabbs Igbokwe of Rivers State, Comrade Ahmed Bunza from Kebbi State and Miss Magdalene Kumu from Taraba.