Salihu Lukman, the immediate past National Vice Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged for coordinated efforts to create a workable alternative platform in order to restore the party to its proper position.
In a statement released on Saturday, Lukman made the prediction, predicting that the APC will defeat President Bola Tinubu’s present radical right-wing, daring, and impromptu leadership.
He asserted that Tinubu had undoubtedly pushed Nigerians to think beyond the boundaries of traditional politics.
He emphasised that all patriotic Nigerians devoted to the democratic advancement of their nation, including APC leaders and members, face a daily challenge to consider the purpose of belonging to a political party when its sole function is to produce candidates for elections.
National Convention: PGF DG, Lukman Reveals Why He Resigned
He claimed that over the past nine years, both former presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Tinubu had created a mockery of democracy by managing the nation’s affairs without consulting party leadership or structures.
The APC chieftain stated that regardless of how strong a leader may be, the survival and advancement of Nigerian democracy cannot be left up to their own will. He also stated that patriotic Nigerians and Democrats must once again mobilise the country to create a democratic platform that stands in opposition to both the APC and all the charades of officially recognised political parties.
“We must summon the courage and believe in the power of possibility.
“Just like we succeeded in pushing the military back to the barracks and defeating the PDP in 2015, it is possible to create a politically viable and truly popular democratic alternative platform that can put the APC in its rightful place and overcome the current extreme right-wing adventurously unplanned leadership of President Tinubu,” he said.
APC Chieftain, Lukman Rejects Muslim-Muslim Senate President, Speaker
The freedom to participate in political competition, in his opinion, is what makes democracy so beautiful. He emphasised that patriotic Nigerians need to practically and loudly tell Tinubu, the APC leadership, and other Nigerian politicians that the country’s democracy needs to be transformed from its current ugly state of ceremonial elections, which produce leaders who continue to rule the country worse than military governments.
He said, “Nigerians must be mobilized to rise above dishonest politicians who only manipulate their way to power and reduce citizens to the status of conquered people.
“Democracy will be worthless if the result is only to elect civilian overlords. That can only be checked if we produce a functional political party, with committed leaders who submit themselves to processes of negotiations in all its ramifications, and agreements contracted that are binding and capable of regulating the conducts of elected representatives and governments produced at all levels. Nigerians are not conquered people.”
He went on to say that one of the party’s shortcomings is the corruption scandal surrounding the Social Investments Programme and the obvious lack of commitment on the part of APC administrations at all levels to anything like social democracy.
2023: Tinubu’s Victory Is Guaranteed – Lukman, Reveals Why
He claims that the APC-controlled governments at all levels have followed business as usual practices almost exclusively since 2015.
Lukman bemoaned that societal unrest is just around the corner in the country, pointing out that issues with insecurity, corruption, and the economic downturn have gotten worse.
Lukman cautioned against any additional gasoline pump price increases and said the President was delusional about bringing back the full subsidy through the back door.
Follow us on Facebook
