The newly elected President-General of the Auchi Polytechnic Alumni Association (APAA), Comrade Sanni Onogu, has unveiled a welfare-driven agenda targeting financial hardship among students, unemployment among graduates and stronger alumni support for the institution.
At the centre of the agenda is a ₦500,000 scholarship pledge for 10 indigent students, an initiative Onogu said would help disadvantaged students pursue their education despite financial constraints.
He announced the pledge at the association’s 18th Biennial Convention and Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Auchi, Edo State, on October 24, 2026.
Onogu said his administration would also establish an emergency welfare scheme for alumni facing hardship, create a job and business opportunity hub, and introduce a mentorship programme connecting younger graduates with established professionals.
The initiatives, he said, would reposition the association as a practical support network for students and graduates rather than an organisation focused mainly on reunions and social engagements.
A committee will determine the scholarship selection criteria and other implementation details in consultation with the Board of Trustees, the National Executive Committee and relevant stakeholders.
Onogu said the association would also engage the polytechnic’s management to identify areas where alumni intervention could improve learning conditions, including hostel renovation, laboratory equipment and other institutional needs.
“This institution did not just give us certificates; it gave us character. It gave us skills that feed our families. It gave us friends who became brothers and sisters. It gave us a name that opens doors. Today, it is time for us to give back,” he said.
He urged graduates in Nigeria and the diaspora to contribute their resources, professional expertise and connections to support students and strengthen the institution.
“We cannot be proud alumni of a struggling institution. We will partner with the Rector and Management not to complain, but to contribute,” he said.
Job opportunities, welfare take centre stage
Addressing members’ welfare, Onogu promised to build an alumni database that would help graduates connect with employment opportunities, businesses and professional networks.
He said the proposed mentorship programme would enable experienced professionals to guide younger graduates through career development, entrepreneurship and the challenges of entering the labour market.
“An alumni association that cannot help its members has lost its purpose,” he said.
The proposed emergency welfare scheme would also provide a support mechanism for members experiencing difficult circumstances.
Onogu said the success of these programmes would depend on alumni solidarity and members’ willingness to contribute to initiatives that deliver practical benefits.
Seeks unity, promises accountability
The APAA president identified unity, members’ welfare and support for the alma mater as the three pillars of his administration.
He urged members to overcome divisions based on graduation year, academic department and other differences, arguing that collective action would strengthen the association’s ability to support graduates and the polytechnic.
“For too long, we have allowed set, department, and graduation year to divide us. The labour market does not ask what year you graduated. The world knows only one identity: Auchi Polytechnic,” he said.
Onogu also pledged to make the association’s finances and decision-making processes transparent, promising an open-door administration that would encourage wider participation by members.
“My promise to you is simple: I will lead with transparency, accountability, and an open-door policy. This Executive will not operate as a covert body. Our finances will be open, our decisions will be consultative, and our doors will be open to every idea that moves us forward,” he said.
Onogu emerged as President-General at the convention and was sworn in alongside other National Executive Officers for a two-year tenure.
Other elected officers include Peter Okoeguale, First Vice President-General; Alli Raheem Sengy, Second Vice President-General; Osa Nosa-Ordia, Secretary-General; Florence Akpoedafe, Treasurer; and Evaristus Monye, Financial Secretary.
The executive also includes Charles Ahonsi, Council Representative; Daniel Tunde Igiezemeh, Welfare Secretary; Victoria Titilope Evbotokhai, Public Relations Officer; Perpetual Azigere, Legal Officer; Ernest Eboigbe, Assistant Secretary-General; and Evelyn Nwoko, Assistant Welfare Secretary.
Ikharo Ahmed was elected Endowment Officer, while Azizi Achekuogene will serve as Board of Trustees Liaison Officer.
The new leadership is expected to work with alumni chapters, the Board of Trustees and the polytechnic’s management to implement its proposed scholarship, employment, welfare and institutional development programmes.
Sharpen my headline around the scholarship
