The new President-General of the Auchi Polytechnic Alumni Association (APAA), Comrade Sanni Onogu, has pledged ₦500,000 in scholarship grants to support 10 indigent students, promising to make education support and alumni-driven development key priorities of his administration.
Onogu announced the initiative during his acceptance speech at the association’s 18th Biennial Convention and Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Auchi, Edo State, on October 24, 2026.
He said the scholarship would form part of a broader effort to mobilise alumni resources to improve students’ welfare and strengthen the institution’s academic and infrastructural development.
According to him, a committee will work out the selection criteria and other details of the scholarship in consultation with the Board of Trustees, the National Executive Committee and relevant stakeholders.
Onogu urged graduates to support the institution that equipped them with the skills, knowledge and values they needed to succeed professionally and contribute to society.
“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.
Beyond the scholarship, the APAA president pledged to work with the polytechnic’s management to identify priority areas for alumni intervention, including hostel renovation, laboratory equipment and other projects that could improve students’ learning conditions.
“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.
Onogu identified unity, members’ welfare and support for the alma mater as the three pillars of his administration, urging graduates to put aside divisions based on graduation year, academic department and other differences.
He said a united alumni body would be better positioned to pool resources, expand opportunities for graduates and contribute meaningfully to the institution’s progress.
“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.
To improve members’ welfare, Onogu announced plans to create an alumni database and establish a platform connecting graduates to job vacancies, business opportunities and professional networks.
He also pledged to introduce an emergency welfare scheme for members facing hardship and a mentorship programme linking younger graduates with experienced professionals.
“An alumni association that cannot help its members has lost its purpose,” he said.
Onogu said the proposed initiatives would transform the association into a practical support network where graduates could access career guidance, business connections and assistance during difficult times.
The new president-general also pledged to promote accountability, open financial reporting and wider consultation in the association’s decision-making.
“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.
He called on alumni in Nigeria and the diaspora to contribute their expertise, professional connections and resources to programmes that would benefit members and the institution.
Onogu also appealed to members who contested the election to work with the new leadership, stressing that the association needed collective commitment to achieve its goals.
He 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 administration is expected to work with the association’s trustees, alumni chapters and the polytechnic’s management to implement its scholarship, welfare and institutional development initiatives over the next two years.