I Have The Right To Support Lawan – APC Chairman Opens Up On Relationship With President Tinubu

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu has declared that he shouldn’t be condemned for supporting now-former Senate President Ahmad Lawan as his preferred candidate for the party’s 2023 presidential ticket.

According to Adamu, he has every right to support any candidate of his choice for elective positions which is the beauty of democracy.

The APC National Chairman however added after President Bola Tinubu emerged victorious at the party’s presidential primary election, he worked totally to ensure his victory at the polls.

Adamu added that rather than commend him for leading the party to victory in the elections, some people are busy calling him out for his stand in the run-up to the party’s presidential primaries.

Making further clarifications, the APC Chairman disclosed that the relationship between himself and President Tinubu is smooth and cordial as any report of a fight is mere speculation.

On his reported position on the emergence of principal officers for the majority party in the National Assembly, Adamu said he was quoted out of context as he had no issues with the persons who emerged but with the manner the communication was handled by the lawmakers.

Also, he denied suppressing anyone from airing his/her views at APC national meetings, explaining that Saliu Lukman, for instance, who has always accused him of running a one-man show, has always attended those meetings.

According to him, the media is always trying to explore the sensational side of issues.

Speaking during an interview with Arise TV, the APC National Chairman 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 thrown up.

“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 unanimously. 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 will 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.

On the recent statement credited to him that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State is incapacitated, Adamu denied making such a submission during his meeting with the APC state chairmen.

The chairman further expressed confidence that Tinubu will be re-elected for a second term.

On the possibility of former Governor Nyesom Wike and other G5 members joining APC, Adamu said the party’s doors are open to receive them whenever they are ready.