APC Convention: Coalition asks Omisore to run for National Secretary

Ahead of next Saturday’s National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a group of stakeholders under the auspices of Coalition of APC Support groups (Southwest Chapter), has called on former deputy governor of Osun State, Iyiola Omisore, to run for the position of National Secretary.

This was contained in a press release jointly issued by the leaders of the group, Dele Fulani and AbdulMojeed Yahaya, shortly after its emergency meeting in Abuja at the weekend.

The Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC, of APC had adopted and approved the report of the zoning committee which ceded the position of National Secretary to the Southwest geo-political zone.

Fulani stated that after a painstaking search for a credible politician from the entire Southwest who possesses the requisite credentials to fit into the exalted office, the Coalition came up with the choice of Senator Omisore.

The Coalition maintained that it was important that the Southwest presents someone who would give the zone quality representation, and at the same time, assists whoever emerges as the national chairman to rebuild a stronger and virile party.

“There is no doubt that we are in a very crucial and critical moment in our party, and because extraordinary times calls for extraordinary measures; we as stakeholders of the party from the Southwest, who are very much concerned and interested in the building and progress of the party, are of the opinion that such highly exalted position zoned to our region required an experienced party man who knows the grinds and winds of both grassroots and national politics to effectively discharge the onerous responsibility of that office.

“As part of the responsibility we owe our region and party, the Coalition, in its bid to ensure that a qualified candidate with requisite qualities and credentials who will give the region quality representation, and, at the same time, assist the national chairman to build a strong and virile party gets elected to the position, have in the past few weeks been undertaking a painstaking search for a personality who possesses all the qualities required for this onerous task and more.

“In the course of our conscientious search, the Coalition, under the guidance and direction of its visionary leader, Mr Dele Fulani, is proud to announce that we have found in one man, all the required qualities and resume deserving of the office of the national secretary of our great party. That man is no other than the political colossus and juggernaut from the historic State of Osun, His Excellency, Senator Chief Iyiola Omisore,” parts of the statement read.

The group insisted that given his antecedents, Omisore remains the best man for the job while urging the party leadership in the region to adopt him as a consensus candidate ahead of the convention.

“Omisore remains the best man for the job and since the constitution of our party allows for consensus, it is not out of place for the Southwest to build a consensus around the candidacy of His Excellency as we approach the convention,” the Coalition said.

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The group, which urged other aspirants from the zone who might be nursing ambition for the position to step down and collapse their structures to rally support behind Senator Omisore, said it was determined to do whatever it takes within its capacity to compel the former Osun State deputy governor to contest by pulling together their little resources to purchase the party’s nomination and expression of interest forms for him.

“The Coalition hereby calls on His Excellency, Senator Chief Iyiola Omisore not to waste time any longer in declaring his intention to become the next National Secretary of our great party, the APC

“Without further ado, the Coalition resolved to immediately commence aggressive mobilization and campaign rally in support of the aspiration of our consensus candidate,” Fulani stated.

While explaining the reason behind the choice of Omisore, Fulani further said, “Senator Omisore is a man of many parts who possesses the requisite qualities fit for the post, having been deputy governor of Osun State and a two-time senator of the federal republic of Nigeria in the 6th and 7th assemblies.

“As an astute politician and complete party man, Omisore’s disposition to party and nation building endears him as a rare and uncommon bridge builder among his peers to the deepest parts of the hearts of his teeming supporters and followers.

“During his stewardship as the chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation, though an engineer, vintage Omisore still used his God-given administrative skills and ingenuity to successfully paddle the affairs of that committee, and it is on record today that that committee recorded one of the best remarkable achievements in the national assembly of that time.

“Senator Omisore is an incurable humanist, philanthropist and a detribalized Nigerian, a compassionate leader, and a firm believer in the unity of Nigeria, championing free education for the poor and the needy not only in the Southwest but across Nigeria.”