In an open letter on Friday by the Immediate Past Vice Chairman, Northwest, of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Salihu Mohamed Lukman addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr. Lukman believed President Tinubu’s administration and the party are fast depleting in ranks and losing popularity on a daily basis
The straightforward and unpretentious 61 year old, www.pointblank.com.ng recalls had on the 26th July, 2023, resigned as APC National Vice Chairman, Northwest saying “I hereby kindly resign my position as National Vice Chairman, North-West of our great party, All Progressives Congress (APC). My resignation is with immediate effect, which becomes necessary given my conviction that the atmosphere in the party is completely at variance with the founding vision of forming a progressive party”.
Dr. Lukman who carpeted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for “behaving in the mode of repressive leaders” also faulted the administration for “having isolated knee jerk initiatives” in addressing the current economic hardship Nigerians are facing.
“We must appeal to our leaders, especially President Tinubu to stop behaving in the mode of repressive leaders. Being leaders elected on the platform of the APC, as true democrats, they should allow structures of the APC to function based on which members and leaders of the APC can have a say in the policy directions of the government” he reminded President Tinubu and APC Leaders
He faulted party leaders for failing to checkmate the past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which he believes laid the foundation of today’s suffering. He however, does not see President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration avoiding the pitch fall of his predecessor due to Tinubu’s dictatorship.
“Inability of members to influence actions of the former President Buhari’s government is responsible for whatever could be adjudged as the failure of that government. So long as the government of President Asiwaju Tinubu adopts the old framework of dictating to the party, it has made itself vulnerable to repeat all the mistakes and failings of former President Buhari”.
The former Director General of the Progressives Governor’s Forum (PGF) then pulled the trigger without sugar-coating words that has characterized the usual ways of Nigerian politicians who would rather defend anything the leader throws at them.
He declared “given this reality, it is painful to admit that both the APC as a party and the government of President Asiwaju Tinubu are becoming increasingly unpopular with Nigerians. No one should be deceived that given the way we are becoming more and more unpopular; we are faced with the risk of rebellion by ordinary Nigerians.
“The truth is that given the fact that political opposition to APC is weak, and organizations of civil society in the country are also weak, the capacity to provide the needed leadership to the opposition against APC and President Asiwaju Tinubu may be nebulous and desperate, which could become a threat to democracy”.
He however proffered solution as a way of avoiding the rebellion of Nigerians. “To avert such danger, it is important that our leaders return to their old mode of acting as visionary politicians and initiate deeply more substantive political reforms in the country to reposition the APC and return it to its founding vision of becoming a progressive political.
He challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to not only be a democrat, but to stand up and be counted as a progressive politician who shouldn’t see discordant voices within the party as antagonizing him but he should regard them as unpaid guidance.
“At the same time, we need a different President Tinubu to show up who is a democrat and, above all, a progressive politician who should have a high level of tolerance when party members and citizens express disagreements with his decisions. We want a President Tinubu who will be open to engagement by party members and Nigerians.
“Once the disposition of President Tinubu is limited to accommodating only views that agree to his decisions, it simply means that all hopes are dashed. Leaders of APC must therefore refrain from acts that can only strengthen the hands of President Asiwaju Tinubu to dash the hopes of Nigerians.
“The least that should happen is that if leaders of the APC have retreated their commitments to making APC a progressive party, they should openly make that declaration. It is my prayer that this is not the case.
He concluded by appealing to President Tinubu to review his administration’s “piecemeal” policies which have rather brought more hardship than they seek to solve them.
“However, as it is often said, the taste of the pudding is in the eating. Will President Tinubu take the needed steps to review the policy directions of his government such that comprehensive policy framework is put in place, which should include the issue of removal of subsidy and exchange rate and not piecemeal strategy?
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