A former member of the House of Representative, Hon. Binta Masi Garba, has emerged the Chairman of the Adamawa State All Progressives Congress (APC).

Garba emerged through consensus arrangement following the conduct of the state congress on Wednesday.

In the history of the state, it was the first time a woman would lead a political party, a development stakeholders said has made the APC gender-sensitive.

Garba, who was a three-time member of the House of Representatives, emerged the chairperson of the party after two of her rivals in the contest, Mr. P.P Elisha and Rev. Iliya Agowa, voluntarily withdrew from the race. A voice vote of party members was conducted where they all endorsed Garba’s election as stipulated by the party’s constitution.

During an interactive session with journalists, the new chairman said democracy was at play as those who did not agree to consensus were given the chance to contest. “The election ended successfully and I want to thank Governor Murtala Nyako and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and other delegates who came from far and near for their cooperation which led to the success of the congress,” Garba said.

She promised that every member of the party would be accommodated, adding that she would make sure that internal democracy and rule law thrive in the party.

Garba also promised to put in place a modality that would ensure all that all aggrieved members who left the party are pacified to come back into its fold for the betterment of all.

She used the opportunity to appeal to insurgents to release the captured female students of the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, calling on the federal government to intensify efforts aimed at releasing the captured students.

Out of the 35 available positions filled at the Congress, only seven were keenly contested as the contestants for other positions were unopposed. Shuaibu Yamusa emerged unopposed as Deputy Chairman, while the position of the Secretary was contested between Abdullahi Bakari and Alhaji Abdulrazak Namdas, Bakari winning with 849 votes against 413 votes scored by his rival. The election was conducted without hitches as maximum security was deployed at the Lamido Cinema in Yola and its environs.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar described as “historic and exemplary” the election of Garba as the first-ever female state party chairperson. He expressed confidence in her ability to lead the party to total victory in all future elections in the state.

Atiku also congratulated all those who emerged in the process, adding “the party is assured of my total support until we win all our elections.”

The former Vee Pee and APC chieftain commended the Governor, Admiral Nyako and other leaders of the party for the high level of accommodation and the spirit of give-and-take that characterised the horse-trading leading to the emergence of the new state executive.

“All is well, that ends well,” he enthused.

•Rewritten from a THISDAY report. Photo shows Adamawa APC Chairman, Hon. Binta Masi Garba.

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