In the forthcoming National Convention of Nigeria’s governing party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, members need to elect leaders that share the vision of the founding fathers of the party.
This statement was made by an APC Chieftain and the immediate past Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Mr. Salihu Lukman in a press statement released to journalists in Abuja.
Recall that Mr. Lukman submitted his resignation letter as DG to the Forum on Monday, January 17.
It would also be recalled that Mr. Lukman was vocal in the media where he spoke against the supposed reluctance of the APC National Caretaker Committee to select a date for the party’s National Convention.
Mr. Lukman explained that his decision to resign was to enable him continue his campaign of returning APC to its founding vision of being a party with social democratic principles.
“I can confirm that it is true I have given my resignation to Forum Chairman, His Excellency Abubakar Atiku Bagudu. It is true that my decision to resign my position is to enable me to continue with the campaign to return APC to its founding vision, which is to build a party that is not only democratic but oriented based on social democratic principles.
“Since the buildup to the 2019 elections, internal contest in the APC began to degenerate. Some leaders became intolerant and conducted themselves almost as tyrants. Every campaign to get the leadership of the party to commence the process of internal reform was resisted. Some party leaders in the bid to emerge as candidates of the party for offices became hostile. Party campaign drifted to almost war situations in many instances. Organs of the party stop meetings as required by the constitution. Views of party leaders became decisions of the party.
“Thank God, we have a leader in President Muhammadu Buhari who disagreed with what is going on in the party and support the campaign for reform. Without going into all the details, the inspiration to setup the current Caretaker Committee came from President Buhari based on the expectation of ensuring that the drift in the party is arrested. This is expected to produce a new leadership, which should emerge at the party’s National Convention. Once the Caretaker Committee began to show sign of reluctance to organise the Convention, it should be a source of concern to all party members desirous of reform,” Lukman said.
He added that he has received encouragement to continue his campaign from some APC leaders such as Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC Presidential aspirant.
“One of the party leaders who honoured me with an invitation to meet him late on Tuesday, January 17, 2022, was Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He commended me for championing the campaigns to reform the party and expressed shock that some members of Forum were intolerant to criticism. He argued that any party leader who will not accommodate critical opinion on fundamental issue such as respecting decisions and especially a matter as sensitive as organising the National Convention, which is the highest organ of the party, such a person is not a democrat and shouldn’t be associated with a party envisioned to be progressive such as the APC,” he said.
As APC members prepare to hold their National Convention on February 26, Mr. Lukman stressed the need for leaders who are democratic and tolerant to criticism to be elected.
Editor/Suzan O.
