…As Oladigbolu emerges ACPN national chairman
Former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; and Dr Samuel Adekola, immediate past national chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), have urged all community pharmacists to continue to join hands as men of honour and work towards their collective progress, following the recent election of new executives to pilot the affairs of the association for the next three years.
Speaking at the closing banquet of the just concluded national conference of the ACPN, tagged “Gateway 2021” and held at the Conference Hotel, Abeokuta, Otunba Daniel, who was the chairman of the event, urged community pharmacists nationwide to speak with one voice, eschew rivalry, embrace professionalism and help the newly elected executives to succeed in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The former governor, who said he was impressed with the love shown to the incoming national chairman, Pharm. Wale Oladigbolu, during his grand entry into the venue of the event, also charged ACPN members to be professional in their dealings, saying the emergence of COVID-19 has further shown the importance of the pharmacy profession to the nation’s healthcare sector.
Corroborating Daniel’s remarks, the immediate past national chairman of ACPN, Dr Samuel Adekola, appealed to the community pharmacists not to relent in their efforts towards ensuring professionalism in whatever they do.
He urged them to shelve the rancour that marked the previous elections of the association and resolve to work with the newly elected executives.
Adekola said, “Despite the doubt and uncertainties, my joy is full today because I have a successor. Now I can go home without fear and with confidence that I have done my best and that I have left a good legacy for the incoming executives to follow.
“I want to congratulate the man whom God has destined to succeed me and also tell him it is God that chooses, not man; so he should deliver his responsibilities with the fear of God.”
Earlier on, Pharm. (Chief) Ben Ezechukwu, chairman, ACPN Electoral Committee, had declared Pharm. Adewale Aderemi Oladigbolu, the immediate past chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Rivers State, and managing director, Droffilc Healthcare Limited, winner of the ACPN national chairmanship election, with a total of 296 votes, beating his opponent, Pharm. Gbenga Olubowale, who had 245 votes.
According to Ezechukwu, who announced that a total number of 547 accredited delegates participated in the election, Pharm. (Mrs) Bridget Otote, a Fellow of PSN, who is practising at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, emerged winner of the national vice-chairmanship post with 365 votes, defeating her opponent, Pharm. Jonah Okotie, from Lagos State, who had 175 votes.
Speaking further, the electoral committee chairman noted that, out of the available slots, the remaining seven – national secretary, national assistant secretary, national treasurer, national financial secretary, national internal auditor, and national editor-in-chief – were contested unopposed.
According to him, Pharm. Ambrose Eze, and Pharm. Nkiru Chuka Okoye, the national secretary, and the national assistant secretary respectively, were returned unopposed. Others were Pharm. Ashore Omokhafe, treasurer; Pharm. Babatunde Samuel, financial secretary; Pharm. Kenneth Ujah, publicity secretary; Pharm. Okwor Ikechukwu, internal auditor; and Pharm. Babajide Giwa, editor-in-chief.
In his acceptance speech, the new chairman, Oladigbolu, gave thanks to God for granting him success in the election, while also appealing to all members of the association to forget the pre-election differences and come together as one, noting that any division would be detrimental to the ACPN and community pharmacy practice in the country.
Oladigbolu said: “As I dedicate this success to all community pharmacists in the country who trusted and believed in my ability to lead this association, I want to specially thank the Rivers State pharmacists, who have been accommodating me for the past 25 years. I especially appreciate my campaign team members, who stood by me through the darkest moments of this exercise; you have remained my pillar of strength.
“I want to assure you that my team and I will work hard to ensure that we don’t let you down. This election is not enough to divide us, as we need unity and oneness as a family to attain a greater height. So it is important we come together as one family and start adding value to the profession,” he said.
Speaking in the same vein, Otote, the newly elected national vice-chairman, assured that she would do everything in her capacity to contribute to the success of the administration, adding that the victory was an attestation to her numerous contributions to pharmacy practice in the past.
The high point of the event was the presentation of certificates and swearing-in of the new executives, which was conducted by Chief Magistrate Lukman Abiodun Abdulahi, who was accompanied by Chief Magistrate Titi Bello, and Chief Magistrate Folake Ogundele, as assisted by Dr Samuel Adekola.
