THE plot by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Adamu Abdullahi, to have the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, as the consensus presidential candidate of the party was largely thwarted by a vigorous pushback spearheaded by the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Sunday Tribune has learnt.
Twenty-four hours to the special convention that produced former Lagos governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, as the standard-bearer of the party, Adamu had shocked the National Working Committee of the party with the news that President Muhammadu Buhari had stamped Lawan, from Yobe in the North-East, as the favoured aspirant to emerge the party’s candidate.
The information, which was supposed to be confidential to the members of the top organ of the party, as later confirmed by Adamu himself, filtered into public space, almost as soon as Adamu dropped the bombshell.
Adamu later tagged the leak, irresponsible.
Dissatisfied members of the NWC later confirmed to the media the information given to them by the party chair and also publicly restated their objection.
Beyond the public spat between Adamu and two members of the NWC, Sunday Tribune learnt that the silent motivator of the resistance to the planned imposition was Omisore, the most senior party official from the South, who reportedly mobilised the pro-power shift members against the agenda.
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Sunday Tribune was told that Omisore had defended power shift agreement between North and South at APC level, reportedly telling Adamu point-blank that he was on a mission-impossible on the Lawan project.
The former senator was also said to have told Adamu that it was the turn of the SouthWest to produce the presidential candidate of the party after eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari, an arrangement which the Lawan project, would disrupt.
A resistance team was reportedly put together, working on available information, in order to beat Adamu and his allies in their game.
It is believed that the same resistance team, informed the APC governors of the plot to retain power in the North, contrary to their position that it should rotate to the South. Armed with the information, the governors had to leak the decision to the media, before meeting with President Buhari, who vehemently disowned Adamu and the Lawan project.
It was also learnt that there were attempts to financially induce members of the NWC, the body, which currently possesses the powers of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party, but the resistance leader reportedly turned down the alleged offer.
When approached, Omisore reportedly told those who came to him that he was going to put the interest of Yoruba race ahead of any other consideration.
Apart from refusing to sign in on the Lawan project, he was said to have told the backers that it was the turn of the South-West, while specifically mentioning Tinubu as the most prominent Yoruba person in the race to have the ticket.
“At this point, they know there is nothing they can do again. The thing about politics is that you don’t allow something to happen first, before reacting. If we had allowed it (power to remain in the North), whatever we are doing after that won’t amount to anything.
“If you say we won’t collaborate with them (northerners) again, it won’t change the fact that they have already succeeded in this one. Yoruba can’t be dealing with themselves only. We are going to be relating with others, but we must not allow what is ours, to go elsewhere” a source privy to the events leading to the contested convention, explained.
It was further learnt that Omisore’s role in ensuring the failure of the Adamu project has increased the stock of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State within the progressive fold in the SouthWest.
Some front-row members of the fold had vehemently objected to the choice of Omisore as the National Secretary of the party, the highest party position allocated to the zone. Sunday Tribune gathered that Omisore became the choice pick for the position immediately some APC South-West leaders discovered that Adamu, widely seen as a northern irredentist, was going to emerge the national chairman of the party.
A source told Sunday Tribune it would have been calamitous for the zone, if someone without political experience, who could be easily harassed, had presented by the South-West.
“They were moving money around, thinking everybody could be bought. Everybody had collected except the one who frustrated them.
“Imagine if it is someone they can easily harass, someone without political experience and who hasn’t achieved in life. They won’t even offer him money, because he would not be able to challenge them.
“They give money to those who can pose serious challenge to them. That is why strong personalities are needed in party positions. If your man isn’t strong, everything will be taken away from you” a party source disclosed.
Sunday Tribune was also gathered that those who had criticised Governor Oyetola for nominating Omisore are now praising his foresight after the former deputy governor emerged a major bulwark against the hurricane of Adamu’s agenda.
“Oyetola said he had known Omisore intimately for close to four decades, yet they were criticising him for his choice. Now, they are praising him, for having the foresight to present a strong personality for the top position offered to the South-West.”
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