Pharm. Adewale Aderemi Oladigbolu, the immediate past chairman, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Rivers State and managing director, Droffilc Healthcare Limited, has emerged winner of the ACPN National Chairmanship Election. The election held on Friday, 3 September 2021, during the association’s Annual General Meeting at the Conference Hotel, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State, beating his opponent, Pharm. Gbenga Olubowale, with a total of 296 to 245 votes.
According to the results announced by the Chairman, ACPN Electoral Committee, Pharm. (Chief) Ben Ezechukwu, a total number of 547 delegates were accredited and participated in the election, with Oladigbolu, a community pharmacist and Fellow of the PSN polling 296 votes to edge his opponent, Olubowale, former chairman of Lagos with 245 votes. The former was declared winner and presented with the certificate of office, having garnered the highest votes.
The electoral committee chairman also announced Pharm. (Mrs) Bridget Otote, a Fellow of PSN, who is practicing at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as the winner of the national vice-chairmanship post with 365 votes, defeating her opponent, Pharm. Jonah Okotie, from Lagos State, with 175 votes.
Speaking further, the respected pharmacist, noted that out of the available slots, the remaining seven, which were national secretary; national assistant secretary; national treasurer, and 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 national assistant secretary respectively, were returned unopposed. Others were Pharm. Ashore Omokhafe, treasurer; Pharm. Babatunde Samuel, national financial secretary; Pharm. Kenneth Ujah, publicity secretary; Pharm. Okwor Ikechukwu, national internal auditor and Pharm. Babajide Giwa, national editor-in- chief.
In his acceptance speech, the newly elected National Chairman, ACPN, Oladigbolu, gave thanks to God for granting him success in the election, while he appealed to all members of the association to forget the pre-election differences and come together as one, noting that any crack would be detrimental to ACPN and community pharmacy practice in the country.
“As I dedicate this success to all community pharmacists in the country who trusted and believe in my ability to lead this association, I want to especially 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 I and my team 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 contribution to pharmacy practice in the past.
The high point of the event was the presentation of certificate and swearing-in of the new executive 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, outgoing national chairman.
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