Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has confessed that he supported the former President of the Senate and APC presidential aspirant, Senator Ahmad Lawan, in the run-up to the party’s presidential primaries.
However, he believes he should be praised for President Bola Tinubu’s victory. Adamu clarified that the rumors of a rift between him and the president were false and that he had the right to back whoever he wanted before Tinubu’s emergence.
The chairman also said he was misconstrued regarding his stance on the recently elected principal officers of the national assembly, and that the APC had issues with the way the communication was handled by the lawmakers. He added that those who had issues with him had always had the chance to express their opinions at their national meetings.
Adamu mentioned that Saliu Lukman, who has always accused him of running a one-man show, had attended those meetings. He said that Lukman’s decision to take the party to court was a serious offense, even though he later signed a deal to withdraw his case from the court and apologized for his misdeed.
He said, “I think that’s a soft selling point for you media people. It is true that at the time that I made a presentation to the National Working Committee (NWC), the name of Senator Ahmed Lawan was mentioned.
“That was before the convention. So many things took place between then and the actual date of the convention, and you saw what culminated in the convention being unanimous. I was there and I led the convention of the party.
“A day after the convention, I took the entire working committee to his (Tinubu’s) house in Asokoro and assured him of our support and said we would stand shoulder to shoulder with him and ensure that the mandate was sold properly to the people of Nigeria. We won the election. Instead of being praised, we are vilified,” he said.
He emphasized that it was not the appropriate time for criticism and stated that since he successfully led the party, he deserves recognition and praise.
Adamu asserted that he had the right to express his opinion about Lawan prior to the primaries. However, once it became evident that Tinubu emerged as the candidate, all members were obliged to unite behind him.
He affirmed that he currently maintains a positive and collaborative relationship with Tinubu following his election. Adamu further stated that the president always gives him undivided attention during their meetings.
Adamu clarified that he is willing to express disagreement with the president on any issue because freedom of speech exists in the country. He explained that any reported altercation with the president is merely a fabrication by the media.
The national APC chairman dismissed speculations about differences between himself and the president, urging the media to treat him fairly.