I worked against Tinubu at APC presidential primary –National Chairman

By our reporter

National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, has declared that he worked against President Bola Tinubu, and for then-Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, during the party’s convention which produced the presidential flag bearer of the party.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Arise TV, Adamu said he had no choice at the time because the APC National Working Committee (NWC) had endorsed Lawan ahead of the convention.

But,after Tinubu clinched the ticket,he said, he and the NWC, had to switch to support the party’s presidential candidate (Tinubu) to ensure he and APC won the February 25,2023 presidential election.

Adamu said: “I think that is the soft selling point for you media people, with due respect to all of you. It is true and I don’t take that back and I don’t deny the fact at the time that I made the presentation to the National Working Committee.

“Yes, the name of the distinguished Senate President, as he then was, Ahmad Lawan, was proposed for the presidency. That was before the convention.

“So many things took place between then and the actual day of the convention. Once he was nominated to the convention unanimously. I was there. I led the convention as the Chairman of the party.

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“A day after the convention we went to his house. I took the entire National Working Committee to his residence in Asokoro here in Abuja and assured him (Tinubu) of our support. We assured him… we would do everything to ensure that this mandate that the party has given him is sold properly, and effectively to the general public of Nigeria.

“We did so when we started the campaign, we went all round with him. We faced the election. I was privileged to lead the party up to the end of the election and we delivered a successful election in favour of our great party, APC. We are the winner.”

Adamu expressed hurt that he has not been given the accolades that he claimed he deserves in APC, especially in ensuring that Tinubu won the poll.

His words: “Now, instead of appreciation, instead of showing understanding and if you permit me, even praise for what we have done, rather we are vilified.

“I was taken aback because you see if nothing else, I respect my fellow countrymen in good faith no matter their political persuasion. Say yes, at least we led this political party to success.

“We have a President, he is inaugurated. He has commenced his administration. And he has hit the road running.

“Well-meaning Nigerians and supporters of our parties and the President have been giving praise for the performance of the President. We, at the APC, produced him, I had the privilege of leading that. I have not had any period of misunderstanding with him since the convention, since he was elected.”