APC convention: Oyinlola, Omisore, others submit nomination form

Former Deputy Governor of Osun State, Otunba Iyiola Omisore has submitted his nomination form to contest for national secretary of the All Progressives Congress ahead of its commission.

A former deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, yesterday emerged a surprise candidate for the position of the party’s national secretary.

He submitted his nomination form for the office at the APC National Secretariat.

Omisore, in a statement, said he looked forward to an “efficient and effective management of the national secretariat for next level prosperity, democracy deliverables for Nigeria and Nigerians in utmost peace, happiness, safety and plenty.”

Omisore appealed to APC members in Nigeria to support his ambition for the party by voting for him.

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Chairmanship aspirants who beat the deadline for the submission of nomination forms yesterday were the pioneer Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; ex-Governor Umar Tanko Al-Makura; Mallam Saliu Mustapha (Turaki Ilorin); Senator Sani Mohammed Musa; ex-Governor George Akume; another former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Abdulaziz Yari; and the youngest, Mohammed Etsu.

Those that are out of the race include a former Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bawa Bwari; ex-Governor Ali Modu Sheriff; ex-Governor Isa Yuguda; Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi and Sunny Sylvester Monidafe.

While some of the aspirants jettisoned their ambition in deference to the APC zoning formula in favour of the North-Central for chairmanship, others appeared to have lost steam midway.

A reliable party source said: “All the aspirants are jostling to earn the confidence and endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari. What has buoyed their confidence is the discordant tunes from London.

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“The Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Caucus of APC is adamant on producing the National Chairman of the party from among its two nominees, Saliu Mustapha and ex-Governor Umar Tanko Al-Makura.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “Most of the governors have lost steam on the choice of a new national chairman for APC.

One of the chairmanship aspirants left in the race, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, said yesterday that if he won the election, the party, under him, would not beg anyone for money to run its affairs.

Musa, who currently represents Niger East in the Senate, said he was looking forward to the convention which he said would usher in a new beginning and transitional change in the APC.

On the purported endorsement of Senator Abdullahi Adamu by President Muhammadu Buhari, Musa wondered why the party sold forms to other people if it had someone already lined up for the job.

“You sold forms to us. And as far as I’m concerned, there’s never been anybody that officially contacted me or any other aspirants. Nobody! And the spokesperson to Mr. President, Femi Adesina, had said that there was no endorsement,” he said.

Another aspirant, Malam Saliu Mustapha, vowed to ensure party supremacy, inclusiveness and discipline if elected as chairman of the APC.

He promised to promote a policy of mentorship where youth and women would be given deputy leader positions at the various committee levels of the party to give them the much-needed training that will prepare them for leadership positions in the country.