I outsmarted APC NWC to deliver presidency to south-west, says Omisore

Iyiola Omisore, immediate-past national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he worked for President Bola Tinubu to become the party’s presidential candidate.

In the buildup to the party’s presidential primary in June 2022, Abdullahi Adamu, former APC national chairman, supported Ahmad Lawan, a former president of the senate.

However, Lawan lost out to Tinubu at the primary election.

Speaking during ‘Inside Sources’, a programme hosted by Laolu Akande on Channels Television, Omisore said he outsmarted all those who were trying to have a presidential candidate from their zones.

“In politics, everybody has their mindsets. We came from different (geopolitical) zones to the NWC that time, representing different interests,” Omisore said.

“I was the most senior member of the party in the south-west and my mandate was to deliver the south-west for the presidency.

“Somebody from south-south too, his own mandate was to deliver south for the presidency. I want to assume so.

“So, my own way was to get to my destination which I have gotten to today. The way and manner I did my journey is between me and God.

“I can’t castigate anybody who tried to be smart but if you want to be smart and I outsmarted you, to God be the glory. But the point is that my mission was to deliver the south-west presidency which we are today.”

Omisore said though different people in the national working committee (NWC) had candidates they wanted to become flag bearer, they were still able to present a democratic convention.

“We voted. Everybody had a choice and it was transparent,” he said.

“The moment there is a transparent primary, there won’t be noise; it is only when people feel cheated that they go to court.”