I Outsmarted Adamu to Deliver Tinubu as APC Candidate – Omisore

In the aftermath of the eventful June 2022 presidential primary within the All Progressives Congress (APC), which was marked by intrigue and ultimately saw former Lagos governor Bola Tinubu emerge as the party’s chosen candidate, Iyiola Omisore, who served as the party’s National Secretary at that time, has recently disclosed details about his efforts to ensure that a candidate from the South-West region secured the highly sought-after party ticket.

During an episode of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television, Omisore, a mathematician and former Osun State deputy governor, disclosed that the then APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, advocated for the North to maintain the Presidency after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure.

However, Omisore was tasked with securing a South-West candidate as the party’s flag bearer. He highlighted that individuals from various regions had distinct objectives when they served on the National Working Committee at that time.

As the most senior member representing the South-West, his primary goal was to secure a South-West candidate for the Presidency.

Similarly, another member aimed to achieve the same for the South-South region in their respective roles within the party hierarchy.

My main goal was to reach my destination, which I have successfully achieved today. The manner in which I undertook my journey is a personal matter between myself and God.

I hold no ill will towards those who attempted to outwit me, but if I happened to outsmart them, all credit goes to God.

My primary objective was to secure the South-West for the Presidency, a goal that has been accomplished. Omisore acknowledged that despite Adamu’s support for a different candidate, the National Working Committee managed to conduct a convention where democracy prevailed and everyone had the opportunity to vote transparently.

When primaries are conducted fairly, there is usually no uproar; it is only when individuals feel they have been wronged that legal action is pursued.

The former APC National Secretary emphasized that all activities leading up to the APC presidential primary were purely political in nature and were specific to that period.

He stressed that the party has since shifted its focus towards strengthening democratic principles for the betterment of Nigerians.

Prior to the APC presidential primary in June 2022, Adamu had endorsed then Senate President Ahmad Lawan as the party’s consensus candidate; however, this decision was vehemently opposed by a group of northern governors who favored Tinubu instead.

In a whirlwind of surprises and internal conflicts, Tinubu emerged victorious in a fiercely contested primary, triumphing over formidable opponents such as Lawan, former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and others.

Following this success, the former governor of Lagos went on to defeat prominent opposition figures including Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) in the general election held in February 2023, securing the top position at Aso Villa.

Just two months after Tinubu assumed office as Nigeria’s President in July 2023, Adamu and Omisore stepped down from their roles as APC National Chairman and Secretary amidst controversy and uncertainty.

This paved the way for a new National Working Committee (NWC) led by ex-Kano governor Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman and former Senate spokesman Ajibola Bashiru as National Secretary.