The immediate past national vice chairman (Northwest) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has alleged that some party leaders who were opposed to the emergence and presidential aspiration of President Bola Tinubu are now being appointed into key positions in government.
He particularly cited the Imo state governor, Hope Uzodinma, whom he alleged financed the attempt to manipulate the emergence of former Senate president, Ahmed Lawan as the APC consensus presidential candidate against Tinubu, but eventually became the chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF).
Lukman made this observation in a lengthy statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, November 8, titled: “Agonising Experience of Being APC Member; Message to APC leaders”.
The former Director General of the PGF noted those close to the alleged leaders have since been hostile to him following his past recommendations and opposition to their antics.
Lamenting over the development, Lukman noted that the sets of party leaders who were boisterously opposed to the presidential ambition of President Tinubu are today appointees in the federal government.
He said,
“When, for instance, party leaders who were boisterously opposed to the Presidential ambition of President Tinubu are today appointees in the federal government, and in the case of Governors such as Sen. Hope Uzodinma, who financed the attempt to manipulate the emergence of Sen. Ahmed Lawan as the consensus Presidential candidate of APC, emerging as the Chairman of Progressive Governors beat the imagination of every founding leader of APC, and in every respect heartbreaking.”
“Pushing for the entrenchment of party supremacy, the former APC zonal leader strongly advised the ruling party to avoid becoming a replica of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”
He emphasized that many party leaders and members expected that the emergence of President Tinubu as the successor to former President Muhammadu Buhari would lead to the party’s reform and return it to its founding vision of becoming a progressive party.
Lukman noted,
“APC emerged in 2013 with the historical mission of changing Nigerian politics such that our parties are internally democratic. Incontestably, both former President Buhari and current President Tinubu gave us the needed leadership to inspire Nigerians into believing and committing their votes to the APC.”
He warned that the party should not derail from the promised goals and objectives of reforming the country’s democratic culture and values which endeared Nigerians to the party at its inception 10 years ago.
Lukman, however, observed that “instead of reforming the APC to return it to its founding vision, we are consolidating and emerging as a malfunctioned and despotic party organization, which is increasingly becoming a replica of the PDP by every passing day.
He added,
“We can deceive ourselves to imagine that we can continue to succeed in emerging victorious in elections and successful leaders surround themselves with sycophants who only tell them what they want to hear, it will not change the reality of betrayal and it will not protect leaders.
“As loyal party members, we will continue to campaign for the reform of APC and party politics generally in the country.”
