Embassy- Oseni MOMODU
Adams Oshiomhole, a loyal ally of Mr. President remains one of Nigeria’s most disciplined and ideologically oriented leaders. His labour background, orientation and political experience helped shaped his personality. Highly intelligent and pragmatic, yet uncompromising. He’s inclined lifting others even though he gets betrayed afterwards. His case reflects a man endowned with wisdom to lead with intrinsic ability while nurturing future generation leaders quietly.
For him, loyalty is absolute, nurtured by enduring trust with partners in progress. As the All Progressives Congress (APC) holds its 2026 national convention to usher on board new leadership, certain dignitaries deserve credit for assisting to drive the wheel of progress and sustaining legacy of the party from cradle. One of such notable figures is Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, erstwhile national leader of the APC and incumbent president of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Tinubu endured obstacles as opposition leader whilst the then PDP stalwarts (mostly now in APC) raved in power affluence. At no point did he bicker or grumble but he rather maintained steadfastness, resilience and determination; overseeing its affairs from Bourdilon in Ikoyin Lagos. The renowned African’s master strategist, Tinubu adopted multi layered techniques aimed to overthrown PDP from power through strategically and legitimate means covering 16 years of strategic planning. This he began by ensuring successive political leadership transition in Lagos from Alliance for Democracy, (AD) in 1998; establishing mega national party in (APC) in 2013 in collaboration with other nationalists with its first presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) in 2015. Before him were Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, 2007 and Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, 2011 both of whom once served as presidential candidates courtesy of Bola Tinubu’s help under the then AC and ACN (now defunct) respectively.
Tinubu would later to be sidelined soon after PMB’s inauguration in May 2015. He became the first political victim of the government he once helped brought to power with Buhari’s slogan of: “l belonged to everybody and l belonged to nobody.” This slogan would later hunt some foundational party leaders especially Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) adherents or ardent loyalists of Tinubu from the APC family which Adams Oshiomhole is one.
This power play continued until 2018 when the PMB began reelection artillery amidst dwindling popularity, uprisings, higher cost of living, insecurity, neglect of party loyalists, etcetera, courtesy of policy choices. Faced with setbacks, PMB and his handlers turned towards Asiwaju Tinubu’s direction for rescue after years of initial neglect. Adams Oshiomhole would later assume APC national chairmanship of NWC where he won reelection for Buhari in 2019.
Endurance, determination and God’s providence went on to reward Tinubu with APC presidential ticket in 2023 amidst turbulence. It was a reward for years of sacrifice nurturing formidable opposition with confidence, anchored on resilience and determination to grap power from PDP. In fact, preparatory to 2023 elections, Tinubu became opposition inside APC he profoundly founded. One dogged fighter always stand by him throughout these turbulence: Adams Oshiomhole!
Furthermore, another APC figure who shaped the party’s future and stake his arsenal for its success is our amiable Senator Adams Oshiomhole, the man next to the heart of Tinubu. He is Tinubu’s most profound unwavering force who not only helped strengthened the party but also paid ultimate sacrifice for the unity of APC. A former Edo state Governor and APC national chairman, most distinguished Senator Adams Oshiomhole suffered somewhat similar fate as Tinubu. Elected as National chairman in 2018 by over seven thousand delegates, Oshiomhole became a villain in the party he once helped nurtured and handed victory in favor of it’s candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB). He was tragically ousted under a legal foundation never known to Nigerian legal jurisprudence at the time. The Senator recently reminiscence on this account in Benin city, stressing that associating with him during that era was a like a taboo. “Thank you Nyesome Wike for honoring me when my party rejected me.” How awful such experience.
Oshiomhole’s offence was simple: “his absolute loyalty to Bola Tinubu at a time his (Tinubu) presumed loyal kinsmen brazenly betrayed him for power retention in Buhari’s government.” Though architects of his removal celebrated, but they obviously miscalculated with regrets downplaying the former labour leader. The ambitions they sought to quench which propelled Oshiomhole’s horried ouster still saw the light of the day in 2023.Who is Nigeria’s President today? Tinubu of course.
At regional party level, Oshiomhole’s desire was to unify south south states under APC fold as far back as when he was Governor and APC National Chairman. This is evidenced in a number of moves across the region he initiated at the time. It is however to his credit as the foremost APC state in the South South region which currently have Delta, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Cross River and Bayelsa as APC states thereby consolidating Tinubu’s stronghold in the region ahead 2027. Oshiomhole, despite intense pressure snubbed challenge of his removal as National chairman because he prioritizes APC unity and progress over holding on to power. Legal pundits predicted he had chances of victory had he sought legal redress in court having regards to the material facts surrounding his removal.
Given Tinubu’s tradition of rewarding loyalty of kinsmen, Senator Adams Oshiomhole is one of several Tinubu’s allies in the list of unfinished reward under the current APC Tinubu’s government. However, second term of the president present another golden opportunity for such unfinished reward.
As the party held its national convention successfully, I congratulate leader of the party, President Bola Tinubu, the NWC of the party, past and present leaders and executives of the party from Ward, Local Government, State and Zonal levels. The peaceful conduct of the processes so far dignified the party as truly progressives. May APC succeeds beyond 2027, Amen!!
~Embassy Oseni MOMODU, LFP, B.A, LLB; writes from the National Convention Venue, Abuja. MOMODU can be reached via osenixyz@gmail.com or +2348120567606
