Dr. Salihu Lukman, the former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the North-West, has urged Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Rotimi Ameachi, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and Mallam Nasir El-rufai to form a new party immediately to save Nigeria. Lukman also chastised the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) for the country’s current situation......Read The Full Article>>.....Read The Full Article>>
He stated that these major political parties cannot serve as platforms to rescue Nigeria from its current unfortunate self-inflicted downward spiral, which is causing widespread poverty and starvation.
The former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the North-West region also stated that the federal government has rendered all registered political parties ineffective.
Lukman, in a statement titled “What Next,” issued following the #EndBadGovernance protest, urged opposition leaders such as Alh. Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi, and Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to step forward and provide the necessary leadership to reform democracy and ensure the emergence of a functional political party capable of rescuing Nigeria.
In addition to opposition leaders, Lukman urged other APC political leaders, including Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Sen. Ibukunle Amosun, Mal. Nasir El-Rufai, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and many others, who have been pushed out of the party, to join forces with opposition leaders to save the country and return Nigeria to the path of democratic development.
He stated that if the country’s democratic structures, such as political parties and the National Assembly, are functional, President Asiwaju Tinubu and many state governors should face immediate impeachment.
Speaking about the recently concluded protest, Lukman stated that the #EndBadGovernance protest fell short of public expectations due to the almost complete absence of initiatives at all levels to identify the protest organisers and engage them with the goal of attempting to end the protest. He also warned that every Nigerian should be concerned if the threat to resume October 1 materialised.
“As of now, there is information indicating that the organisers have set October 1 as the date for the protests to resume. Every Nigerian should be concerned about this situation. With governments at all levels failing to engage the organisers and effectively underestimating the organisers’ ability to mobilise for the protests, ordinary Nigerians are left at the mercy of angry Nigerians. The truth is that almost every ordinary citizen has the potential to join such an angry group simply because the country’s living conditions are harsh. Let no one be misled; the situation affects almost every living soul in Nigeria on an unprecedented scale that has never been seen before.
“Without a doubt, the withdrawal of petroleum product subsidies and the floating of the Naira’s exchange rate against other international currencies have triggered our current situation.” In an import-dependent economy, the two policies are likely to cause inflationary pressure. Unfortunately, the government of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has yet to produce a clear, definitive policy response to the situation,” he said.
The former APC National Vice Chairman for the North-West stated, “A situation in which the government resorts to a cheap campaign of blackmail with the argument that the opposition is sponsoring the protests should simply be ignored.”
“Nigerians must face the challenge of rebuilding Nigeria’s democratic institutions. All Nigerians committed to the country’s democratic development must band together with young Nigerians who are legitimately angry about the harsh realities that citizens face.
“The goal must be to channel Nigerians’ rage into the formation of an identified political party and begin working towards the eventual defeat of President Asiwaju Tinubu and political leaders responsible for the current travails causing widespread hunger and starvation in the country by 2027.
“As it stands, President Asiwaju Tinubu’s administration appears to be on a roller coaster of increased spending in the midst of widespread hunger and poverty in the country, which contributes to the country’s extremely volatile situation. Every committed democrat in the country must recognise this challenge and seek to mobilise Nigerians to channel their rage in a creative and positive direction towards the reformation of the country’s democratic structures.
“Given that the majority of political leaders are already dissatisfied, and given how the government has rendered nearly all registered political parties comatose, the process of uniting dissatisfied political leaders from all parties must begin immediately.
“This is the point at which opposition leaders like Alh. Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi, and Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso should step forward to provide the necessary leadership to reform our democracy and ensure the emergence of a functional political party capable of rescuing Nigeria.
“In addition to opposition leaders, other APC political leaders who have been forced to leave the party should band together to save the country and return Nigeria to the path of democratic development.
“These leaders include Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Sen. Ibukunle Amosun, Mal. Nasir El-Rufai, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and others. While acknowledging that initiatives in this direction are already underway, the country’s rising anger must be harnessed and directed to strengthen the emergence of a true functional political party distinct from the APC, PDP, LP, and NNPP. As it stands, these parties cannot serve as platforms to rescue Nigeria from its current unfortunate self-inflicted downward spiral, which is resulting in mass poverty and starvation.
