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  • 2027: Internal power struggle poses biggest threat to ADC, Lukman warns

    2027: Internal power struggle poses biggest threat to ADC, Lukman warns

    A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Salihu Moh. Lukman has raised concerns that internal struggles for control of the party’s structures could undermine its effectiveness ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary, Lukman expressed fears that unless the drift is addressed, the ADC may be unable to provide a strong challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

    The former member of the APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) acknowledged the progress made in forming a coalition and adopting the ADC as its political platform. 

    However, he cautioned that some leaders appear to be working at cross purposes for personal interests rather than collective goals.

    Reflecting on the journey so far, Lukman said he remains grateful to God for the coalition’s successes but urged party leaders to realign with the ADC’s primary purpose to ensure its relevance in the next electoral cycle.

    “Unfortunately, instead of working to build the party, we are setting ourselves to produce a party whose business will be limited to presenting candidates for elections. People with ambition to contest elections have become restless and want to dominate the process of developing the structures of the party to the exclusion of their opponents.

    “The madness of controlling the structures of ADC is the biggest threat before us. For whatever reason, those of us who want the ADC to be an equal opportunity party are being condemned. Sadly, some of our leaders, instead of providing fair leadership, are taking sides with strengthening aspiring candidates for the 2027 elections across the state to the exclusion of others.

    “I want to use the opportunity of this independence anniversary to appeal to all of us to stop this madness of trying to take over structures of ADC and control it to the exclusion of so-called opponents.”

    Lukman, who was particularly concerned about the leadership rat race in the Kaduna State chapter of the party, cautioned that the development, if not quickly checked, is capable of tearing apart the party in the state, even before the general elections

    He said, “If ADC is to emerge as a strong party capable of defeating the APC in Kaduna State, we must agree to work together. Anybody who is not ready to work as part of a united opposition in Kaduna State is consciously or unconsciously working for the APC.

    “I am making this strong appeal with a very deep feeling of disappointment that we are recklessly mismanaging an opportunity to provide the needed leadership to our people. In particular, I want to appeal to Mal. Nasir El-Rufai, Mal. Jaafaru Sani and Alh. Bashir Saidu, as an opposition leader in Kaduna State to please stop encouraging the madness of aspiring candidates seeking to take over structures of ADC to the exclusion of so-called opponents.”

    Calling for unity among party members, the former Director General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) emphasised that, “It is only if we are united in ADC that we will be able to unite our people in the state to defeat the APC in 2027.

    “We must bear in mind. It is not just about defeating APC but more about producing a government controlled by our party (ADC) based on collective leadership. We need to put an end to the era when we produce emperors as governors. Anything short of producing a government managed by collective leadership under ADC will be unacceptable.”

  • No leader in Nigeria has Buhari’s intimidating profile today – Lukman

    No leader in Nigeria has Buhari’s intimidating profile today – Lukman

    A leader of the opposition Coalition of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Malam Salihu Lukman, has said the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari has brought an end to an era of raising someone’s hand and translating into automatic victory during election.

    He said the death of the former president has denied the country a political figure with the kind of intimidating profile like Buhari that can command electoral victory at the polls.

    Lukman, who spoke on Wednesday during a popular television morning show on Arise News, also called on leaders in the ADC coalition to be united, build a strong team spirit and a strong political party that will not only defeat the ruling party but capable of rescuing Nigerians from the current challenges.

    The former member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, however, argued that even before late President Buhari died, the vacuum had been created, stressing that it was doubtful if before death, Buhari could influence electoral victory in the old way.

    “What we must learn, most especially in the coalition is that we don’t have somebody with the kind of intimidating profile like that of late late Buhari and what that means is that all the leaders of coalition needs to be humble and acknowledge that they need one another and in the context of that, develop a strong team work. I think that is the challenge we are all facing. Our leaders must have a kind of team spirit.

    “It is not about succeeding to defeat APC and Tinubu but succeeeding to produce a new, fresh political template that will begin to meet the expectations of Nigerians. That is what I have been emphasizing on. We must try to build a strong political party.”

    The former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), urged all politicians to be humble, ensure fulfillment of campaign promises and negotiate good relationship with citizens.

    Assessing the administration of the late president on Tuesday evening  on Channels Television current affairs programme, ‘Politics Today’,  Lukman recalled that most people aspired for positions, instead of going to negotiate good relationship with citizens so that good relationship translate into votes, but concentrated more in terms of being in his (Buhari’s) good books.

    He said, “I am aware, being somebody from the North, I know that many politicians look forward to him raising their hands and endorsing them. That translates almost into victory in many places in the North. And that, in a way, made politicians to be lazy.

    Read Also: 2027: We won’t hand over ADC structures to Atiku, Obi, Ameachi – Lukman declares

    “Now we don’t have any figure like that, which is why today I am one of those in the Coalition who keeps raising the point that leaders of the Coalition must remember, we don’t have somebody like late President Buhari anymore, who when he raises your hand, it translates into victory.

    “What that means is that politicians must be humble and begin to engage citizens with more listening ears and disposition when they promise and win elections to begin to meet those expectations of citizens.

    “And we have to work hard. The challenge of having somebody like late President Buhari now absent in Nigerian politics is that politicians must realize, especially those who want to contest election, if they are to win election, except if they want to rig, they must be humble and relate to citizens with higher level of humility rather than the current arrogance.”

    In his tribute, Lukman, described the late Buhari as a great politician “in contemporary Nigeria, I wouldn’t say in all of our history, he stands out as one of those politicians who command a lot of popularity. And his popularity, especially in the northern part of the country, cannot be in any way doubted. And to a large extent, his popularity made it possible for the APC merger of 2013-2014 to be consummated.”

  • Arewa Think Tank to Lukman: Stop dragging ex-leaders into 2027 politics

    Arewa Think Tank to Lukman: Stop dragging ex-leaders into 2027 politics

    A Northern group, Arewa Think Tank (ATT), has told former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman, to stop dragging ex-leaders of the country into the 2027 politics of the presidential election.

    Lukman had in an open letter called on former President Olusegun Obasanjo to lead efforts to unify opposition parties to challenge the incumbent, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

    The former national vice chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), northwest, also called on former leaders such as General Yakubu Gowon, General Ibrahim Babangida, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Goodluck Jonathan, and Muhammadu Buhari to lead efforts to rally opposition parties.

    However, Arewa Think Tank advised Lukman to stay off the former leaders, saying they are men and leaders of high integrity who should not be rubbed in the mud of politics by desperate and selfish politicians.

    In a statement on Wednesday by the Convener of Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu said ahead of the 2027 election, most Nigerians have already thrown their weights behind President Tinubu for a second term, saying that such Lukman’s call will amount to fruitless efforts.

    “We see Lukman’s call on the former Nigerian leaders as a disturbance to men of high integrity who know right from wrong as well as what is good for the country. Nobody can fool or lead astray these ex-leaders for selfish interests.

    “We are aware that many regions of this country have benefited significantly from Tinubu’s administration since he assumed office in 2023.

    “Nigerians should rather praise President Tinubu for prioritising infrastructure, appointments, and security in the country and for his policies which have brought unprecedented development across the nation.

    “We agreed with the North-Central APC Forum that Tinubu has demonstrated bold leadership and delivered tangible benefits to the region.

    “The current level of insecurity in the North-Central is significantly lower than what was experienced in the past. Farmers who previously could not go to their farms due to insecurity can now cultivate and harvest their crops.

    “We want to commend Tinubu’s economic reforms, the recent strengthening of the naira, increased oil production, and improved foreign reserves as indicators of progress.

    “These policies would lead to lower petroleum prices and reduce inflation in the near future.

    “No administration since the return to democracy in 1999 has given the North-Central as many opportunities as President Tinubu’s. His infrastructural projects and appointments have had a profound impact on the region, and we believe he deserves a second term to consolidate these gains.

    “We urge all Nigerians to rally behind the President to deepen the gains of his reform policies. With his bold initiatives and track record, Tinubu is the right person to continue leading Nigeria towards greater prosperity.

    “We are urging Lukman as the former APC National Vice Chairman to return to the APC like the Prodigal son so that he could be forgiven his sins and join men of good Will to put Nigeria on the path of sustainable development.

    “Nobody will take him seriously if he continues to drag Obasanjo and others to declare support for unity among opposition parties and to correct mistakes that, he argued, have facilitated the emergence of substandard leaders. His argument cannot convince personalities of high integrity. Lukman should just keep quiet if he cannot return home to APC for better recognition instead of playing the street boy”.

    “Anyone who truly wants Nigeria to produce progressive leaders must stop hiding under selfish interests, correct his or her personal mistakes and go beyond crying foul and take all the necessary steps to see national interest first before struggling for personal interest in the name of playing the good man through names dropping to achieve cheap popularity under the cloaks of Retired Generals.

    “Some people will not cry foul today if they are given appointments by this government, but because they lost out of the political arrangements, they have resorted to the Pull Him Down syndrome, making empty and ineffective noise for nothing’s sake. We call on such people to look back blame themselves and return home for forgiveness.

    Read Also: Lukman to Obasanjo: Come clean to accept your past mistakes

    “Such persons have no successful missions to add to their credits, and records of achievements other than to make noise so that they can be noticed for appointments.

    “It is advisable that Lukman should engrave himself and all his followers, if he has any, to work to return to the party he left and strengthen his membership if not he will be floating like a bunch of reels on the water heading to nowhere since he was privileged to be in the leadership of APC during the 2023 elections.

    “Although Lukman has withdrawn his membership of APC, we can say authoritatively that the current mindset of President Tinubu and APC is to bring back repentant prodigal sons and daughters to the ruling party. We believe that it is better to repent than to heat the politics that has no effect on the policies and programmes of Mr. President.”

  • Lukman to Obasanjo: Come clean to accept your past mistakes

    Lukman to Obasanjo: Come clean to accept your past mistakes

    Former National Vice Chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Moh. Lukman has called on former President Olusegun Obasanjo to show courage by accepting his past mistakes as the nation seeks solutions to its challenges. 

    In an open letter titled “Satanic Leadership and Nigeria’s Boiling Point,” released in Abuja on Monday, Lukman responded to comments made by Obasanjo during a media interactive session at the “Boiling Point Arena.”

    The former president had reportedly stated that “a leader made by Satan is bound to fail, while God’s chosen one will thrive.” 

    Lukman advised Obasanjo to stop dwelling on the “vain glory” of his past and recognise that all Nigerian leaders since independence share responsibility for the leadership crises plaguing the country. 

    He wrote: “The major challenges faced by Nigeria since independence are a result of attempts by past leaders, including Your Excellency, to produce ‘anointed’ successors. This has contributed to the political crises and the resulting social and economic challenges, which have worsened under successive administrations.”

    Lukman, the former Director General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), urged Obasanjo to accept responsibility as one of Nigeria’s privileged leaders, noting shortcomings during his presidency.

    He highlighted practices institutionalized under Obasanjo’s administration, including the imposition of political candidates by parties and the large-scale rigging of elections, as key factors contributing to Nigeria’s current governance issues.

    Lukman said: “Your Excellency inadvertently institutionalized the practice of imposition of candidates in our political parties. Without going into details, you will recall how in PDP, ahead of the 2007 elections, under Your Excellency’s leadership, the practice of imposition of candidates became the political robe of the PDP. Eventually, being the ruling party for sixteen years, the imposition of candidates became an acceptable political rule.

    “With imposition, basically, our democracy lost its bearing and became a shadow of the worst authoritarian system.

    “Related to imposition is the problem of rigging. Again, without trying to indict you, you will recall how INEC under Prof. Maurice Iwu during your tenure rigged the 2007 elections in favour of PDP. It is a sad reminder that at that time, INEC declared the result of the Presidential election before the collation of results was concluded.

    “I don’t intend to bring all these to indict you. I am only citing them so that you are able to acknowledge your own mistakes. There is no way we can engage in any meaningful debate about how you can play a crucial role in producing leaders with Godly genotype for Nigeria without coming up with valid recommendations on how to deal with the twin political monsters of imposition of candidates and electoral rigging in Nigeria.

    Read Also: APC to Lukman: you can’t tell Nigerians who to vote for

    “In fact, these are two-headed political cobras that have destroyed all political parties in Nigeria today. As it is, Nigeria is a democracy without a functioning political party, which is why the country is failing and all elections marred in a credibility crisis.”

    Lukman insisted: “We must not shield mistakes of the past with some imaginary explanations of leaders created by Satan and those created by God. While appealing to Your Excellency to take responsibility, may I also respectfully use you as a point of contact with all our past surviving leaders of this great nation called Nigeria. Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and former President Muhammadu Buhari are past leaders of this country who God in his infinite mercy has blessed with long life.

    “Without resorting to any blame game, whether today’s leaders of this country are made by Satan or God, all of you put together, individually and collectively, are the parents of today’s leaders.”

  • 2027: Don’t drag ex-heads of state into anti-Tinubu campaign, Arewa group warns Lukman

    2027: Don’t drag ex-heads of state into anti-Tinubu campaign, Arewa group warns Lukman

    The Arewa Think Tank (ATT), a prominent Northern group, has cautioned former APC national vice chairman for the northwest, Salihu Lukman, against involving three former Heads of State in efforts to oppose President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s potential second-term bid in 2027.

    The group’s warning followed Lukman’s recent call for former leaders Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and General Aliyu Gusau (Rtd) to unite against the APC in the upcoming elections.

    Reacting to Lukman’s remarks about Nigeria’s political climate being in an “existential crisis” and democracy being on “life support,” ATT Convener Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu urged Lukman to refrain from politicizing the matter.

    He advised patience, stating Lukman should wait until 2027 to campaign and vote, instead of involving former leaders in political disputes.

    He said: “We should preserve the integrity of our elder statesmen. The former Heads of State, Generals Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, and Abdulsalami Abubakar, are revered leaders. If they have any advice for Mr. President, they can reach out to him directly. It is wrong for Lukman to suggest they should take any action against President Tinubu.”

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    Yakubu also emphasized the need to maintain decorum, saying, “Lukman should not heat up the polity. He should wait until 2027 when he can freely campaign. But dragging the names of these retired Generals into political mudslinging is unacceptable.”

    Lukman had earlier reflected on the absence of Obasanjo and Babangida from the National Council of State meeting held on August 13, 2024, implying that their absence might not have been coincidental. He urged the former Heads of State to leverage their influence to address Nigeria’s current challenges and reinvigorate democracy.

    ATT however opined that Lukman’s motives may be politically charged. “We know the likes of Lukman. If he had been given an appointment by Tinubu, he would have kept quiet. But we want to remind him that true service to the nation should be driven by national, not personal, interest,” Yakubu added.

    The ATT also called for reconciliation within the APC, advising Lukman to “seek forgiveness and work towards rebuilding the party, if he truly intends to serve Nigeria.”

  • BREAKING: Ex-APC NWC member, Lukman resigns from ruling party

    BREAKING: Ex-APC NWC member, Lukman resigns from ruling party

    A former member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Malam Salihu Lukman, has resigned from the governing party.

    His disengagement from the party was contained in a statement he issued in Abuja on Wednesday, June 12, titled: “APC and The Future of Nigerian Democracy: Letter to Selected APC Leaders.”

    The former national vice chairman (North West) hinged his decision on the lack of internal democracy and inability of the leadership of the party to allow the much needed reforms within the party.

    The former Director General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) in the statement however failed to disclose his next destination but said he has gone back to trenches with other political leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    He said: “Given all this, it is possible to remain in APC if at all President Tinubu will allow internal reform in the party to return it to its founding vision, which as it is, is very remote. But my reality now in the party is that my membership has been rendered useless and there is no need for me to continue to impose myself.

    “I have therefore gone back to the trenches and will try to work with all committed Nigerians who agree and subscribe to the goal of actively campaigning for the survival and development of democracy in Nigeria.

    “We must grow our democracy to the point whereby elected representatives at all levels are accountable to the party and it is possible for Nigerians represented by various interests to develop strong relationship with political parties and elected governments based on which policies of governments can be made to reflect wider interests of Nigerians.

    “I am confident that a strong democracy with functional political parties is possible in Nigeria. I am also confident that in our lifetime we can produce governments that are truly capable of making the lives of Nigerians better. I don’t expect party leaders will agree with my decision. I believe that eventually, we will be united will all party leaders and other Nigerians who are committed to developing Nigerian democracy.”

  • Edo Primary: Don’t usurp NEC powers, Lukman advises APC NWC

    Edo Primary: Don’t usurp NEC powers, Lukman advises APC NWC

    Former member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Moh. Lukman has advised the party’s highest administrative organ not to usurp the powers of the National Executive Committee (NEC), insisting that NWC has no power to determine the mode of primary election. 

    The NWC, after a consultative meeting with stakeholders in Edo State last Monday night, settled for direct primary and ruled out zoning of the governorship seat in Edo State for the September 21 poll.

    Reacting to the development in a statement in Abuja, the former APC National Vice Chairman (North West) said NWC’s adoption of direct primary to produce the party’s governorship candidate of APC for the Edo 2024 election was “a clear usurpation of the powers of the National Executive Committee (NEC), which is illegal.”

    Lukman argued that the decision of the NWC to organise direct primary contradicts provisions of Article 13.4(iv) of the APC constitution, which only empowers the NWC to ‘propose electoral guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of elections to Party offices at all levels, and procedure for selecting Party candidates for elective offices …to the National Executive Committee.’ 

    He said: “The recent decision by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) regarding the 2024 Edo election, whereby the NWC announced that the party’s candidate will emerge through direct primary may be informed by the strong desire of party leaders to manipulate the process. Already, there are media reports alleging that APC Stakeholders in Edo State have decided to limit the number of aspirants for the primary.

    “Combinations of illegality, clear disposition by APC leaders to manipulate the process of producing candidates could only mean that APC leaders are weakly committed to winning the support of electorates. Once that is the case, it makes APC leaders more disposed to acts of rigging and manipulating electoral results with the attendant consequences of producing elected representatives on the platform of the party who are anything but representative or responsive to the interest of citizens. As loyal APC members, we will continue to appeal to our leaders to moderate their conduct and return to the founding vision of APC.

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    “The founding vision of APC is for all members of the party to participate in producing the candidates of the party through a process which guarantees the existence of a verifiable membership register. As it is, APC has no verifiable membership register anywhere. If it exists, as in the case of the INEC voters registers, it should be displayed publicly long before the conduct of the primary for verification.”

    The former Director General of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) lamented the absence of competition in democracy, “especially in our political parties is responsible for so many unpredictable political circumstances and is making political leaders both unsure and insecure.

    “This has reduced Nigerian politics to a game of conquest. A major attribute is that political leaders are conquerors, while party members and ordinary citizens are the would-be conquered. Arguably, while in other parties, including PDP, this is a well-established order, in APC, although highly contested, it is also increasingly becoming the norm.”

    While condemning the case for direct primary in Edo State, Lukman said: “Issues of maintaining verifiable membership register is a condition precedent for the conduct of direct primary by any political party. 

    “Experiences under APC is that direct primary is being conducted without verifiable membership register, which empowers party leaders to simply write results in favour of aspirants they want to emerge as candidates for elections. Once that is the case, winning elections will hardly be about winning the votes of electorates. The same logic that is applied to produce candidates, which is manipulating the results of the primary will be used during the elections. Campaigns will be weakly committed to winning the support of the electorates.”

  • Tinubu has capacity to reform APC – Lukman

    Tinubu has capacity to reform APC – Lukman

    Former member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC),  Salihu Moh’ Lukman, has expressed confidence in the ability of President Bola Tinubu to reform the governing party to achieve the visions of the founding fathers.

    He also denied insinuation that he was against the administration of President Tinubu and the leadership of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as the National Chairman of APC.

    Lukman’s vote of confidence for Tinubu was contained in a statement titled, “Why Political Parties in Nigeria should be Reformed”, he released to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.

    The former Director General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) noted that the ruling party is lucky to have as its leader President Tinubu who was part of the pro-democracy struggle that brought an end to military rule in the country in 1999.

    Debunking the allegation of his opposition to President Tinubu-led administration, the former National Vice Chairman (North West) of APC, said having been actively involved in all the contestations within the party leading to the emergence of Tinubu, he decided to document some of the experiences, which is now contained in the publication “APC and Transition Politics.”

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    Shedding light on the book, Lukman said: “Part of the motivation is also to clarify many of the allegations against me that I am against the leadership of President Tinubu. I must say very clearly, that I disagreed with President Tinubu’s decision to nominate Dr. Ganduje as the National Chairman of APC but I respect and accept the fact that Dr. Ganduje is today the National Chairman.

    “I also have strong concerns about the direction taken by the Federal Government under the leadership of President Tinubu. Under the leadership of Asiwaju Tinubu, we have sadly produced an irritating political reality whereby the North-Central region is marginalised. I fear that at the rate we are going, with all the lowly rating of former President Buhari, if care is not taken, he may turn out to be more progressive.”

    While recalling his experiences as a pro-democracy activist, Lukman explained that his calls for reforms in the ruling party were responsible for the tag of being controversial to some persons within the party.

    He said: “We are not and we will never abandon the campaign for democracy in Nigeria. Whatever is responsible for the current orientation can be surmounted and should be conquered. We will not degrade ourselves to becoming antagonists of our party and President Tinubu.

    “We are confident that our party is blessed with leaders who are capable of initiating processes of reform to return our party to its founding vision of becoming a progressive party. We are also confident that President Tinubu is a committed Democrat and truly a progressive politician. We were never wrong in our estimation that out of all the 23 leaders who aspired to become our Presidential candidates for the 2023 general elections, he was best qualified.

    “Therefore, as party members and leaders we must continue to engage him to live up to all the promises we made to Nigerians since 2015. We must work hard and make all the necessary sacrifices to ensure that both President Tinubu and the APC succeed in moving Nigerian democracy forward. Moving Nigerian democracy forward is about promoting political competition in the country.

    “A situation whereby a few people have taken over our party, APC, and are doing everything possible to block internal competition within the party is unacceptable and should not be allowed to continue. This was, and still is, the problem of PDP. It was one of the fundamental issues APC promised to change in 2015, which won the support of Nigerians.

    “As Nigerian citizens committed to democracy, we must go back to the drawing board and begin the campaign to reform our political parties in Nigeria to guarantee internal political competition. It is only when internal political competition is achieved within political parties that wider national competition can be achieved. Once we fail to guarantee internal competition within parties, the current reality of excessive manipulation, through the rigging of elections, vote buying, and other criminality would continue.”

  • High cost of contesting election dangerous for our democracy, says Lukman

    High cost of contesting election dangerous for our democracy, says Lukman

    A former member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Mohd. Lukman has expressed concern over the high cost of contesting elections in the country.

    He warned that the rising cost portend danger for the country’s thriving democracy, stressing that the trend is equally at variance with the founding vision of the party.

    Lukman, who is the immediate past National Vice Chairman (North West) of the party, expressed this concern in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

    Citing the case of the ruling party, Lukman complained that the cost of contesting an election since 1999 till date has been on a “disturbing increase” and projected that by 2027, the cost of the party’s nomination form for the presidential election will not be less than N250 million while that of the governorship election may not be less than N125 million.

    He said: “Beyond issues of strong public perception about the similarity between the APC and other parties, there is also the troubling reality whereby it is increasingly becoming more expensive to aspire and win elections in APC, perhaps more expensive than in any other party.

    “For instance, the cost of APC presidential and governorship nomination forms in 2014, ahead of the 2015 general elections, was N27.5 million and N5 million respectively. In 2019, it increased to N45 million and N22.5 million for presidential and governorship nomination forms respectively. It rose to N100 million and N50 million in 2023, respectively.

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    “At this rate, by 2027, the cost of APC nomination form for presidential election will not be less than N250 million. That of the governorship election may not be less than N125 million.”

    He argued further: “In the case of the 2015 general elections, it is most likely that many of those who emerged as the governorship candidates for APC and won the party primary may have succeeded with far less than N1 billion. Although many would imagine such a cost as outrageous, this is most likely to be a very conservative estimate.

    “There are states such as Lagos, Rivers, Delta and Akwa Ibom, which may have cost far above N2 billion to win the governorship primary in 2015. Like the case of the cost of nomination forms, the cost certainly increased in 2019 and 2023 substantially.

    “The most disturbing reality was more reflected in the case APC presidential primary. In 2015, we had one of the excellent models of producing a presidential candidate in the person of former President Muhammadu Buhari who wasn’t a moneybag and therefore had to rely on the generosity of fellow party leaders and well-wishers to finance the campaign for his primary election in both 2015 and 2019.

    “In 2023, the reverse completely happened as all those who aspired and contested for the APC presidential primary, including President Tinubu shouldered all the financial burden for their primary campaign. To that extent, it is possible that President Tinubu may have incurred not less than N50 billion to win the APC presidential primary and as the party’s presidential candidate.

    “After incurring such huge personal expenditure with almost zero contributions from other party leaders, President Tinubu had to also shoulder almost all the cost of the 2023 presidential election with very negligible contributions from the APC and other leaders, if at all. Certainly, inclusive of the cost of winning the presidential primary, winning the 2023 presidential elections may have cost President Tinubu upward of N100 billion.

    “By every standard, this is very outrageous and alarming. Cascading it down to governors, it would have cost each of the APC governorship candidates for 2023 elections not less than N10 billion to win the elections.”

    The former Director General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) noted that if the trend is not addressed and curtailed, efforts at reducing money politics would be roundly defeated.

    He said: “As things are, we must be honest, Nigerian politics cannot continue the way it is today. Many Nigerians, especially APC members, expected that doing away with money politics would be one of the changes APC would bring about.”

  • Avoid the banana peels that fell PDP, Lukman warns APC

    Avoid the banana peels that fell PDP, Lukman warns APC

    The former National Vice Chairman (North West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman has advised the party to avoid falling on the same “banana peel” that led to the opposition into political misfortune in 2015.

    He said the governing party would have to return to its progressive founding visions and constitutional order to continue to provide political leadership for the country.

    The former Director-General of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) gave the advice on Wednesday, October 25, in Abuja in a statement he titled, “APC: The Inconvenient Reality.“

    Lukman noted that the emergence of APC in 2013 raised the hopes of Nigerians that the party would provide a different model of party administration such that processes of candidates’ selection and party governance could allow for broader membership participation.

    He argued further that Nigerians saw the birth of APC as an end to incidences of imposition of candidates and party leadership and allegations of large-scale corruption, which characterises PDP’s sixteen years tenure as a ruling party at the federal level and in the majority of the 36 states of the federation.

    Reminiscing, the APC chieftain noted that “the operative culture in PDP was that incidences of imposition of candidates made a mockery of the party primary. Largely because leaders of the PDP who were delegates during the party primary were surrogates of aspiring candidates, manipulation of the results of the primary was the trademark for candidate selection. Similarly, allegations of vote buying during the PDP primary were the order.

    “Without going into details, these were problems, which frustrated Nigerians and at the time of the emergence of APC in 2013, Nigerians wanted an alternative model of party administration. Not just an alternative model, Nigerians wanted a model that would eliminate or minimize incidences of imposition of candidates and party leaders as well as guaranteeing proficient and accountable party governance.

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    “Given the promise of CHANGE, combined with the popularity of former President Muhammadu Buhari, especially in the Northern parts of the country, Nigerians found in APC a new political adoration with the high optimism of birthing a new party different from what defines the PDP since 1999. The rest, as is often said, is now history – APC succeeded in replacing the PDP in 2015 and became the ruling party at the federal level and in the majority of the 36 states.”

    He, however, lamented that recent developments in the ruling party tend to tilt the party on the same pre-2013 path as the PDP.

    Assessing the ten years of existence of the ruling party, Lukman lamented that “the reality is that, as a party, it is yet to emerge as the model Nigerians expected when it emerged in 2013.

    “Incidences of imposition of candidates and allegations of vote buying unfortunately have gradually found strong expression in APC. With serving Governors alleged to be exercising what could be considered monopoly control of party structures at state levels, the APC primary is reduced to window-dressing activity, producing anointed candidates. Internal party contests are being muscled out of existence. Inducements to party leaders at all levels have graduated beyond rational comprehension.

    Calling for caution, the former zonal chairman advised that the confidence Nigerians invested in APC should not be taken for granted

    He cautioned that “It will be a big political tragedy and a disservice to Nigerians if APC is allowed to be destroyed by condoning undemocratic practices of imposition and unconstitutional conduct of running affairs of the APC without allowing the structures of the party to be functional as provided in the APC constitution.

    Democracy is about the rule of law. Any party that is in contempt of its own rules cannot produce accountable, representative, and responsible leaders. For APC and President Tinubu to turn a new positive democratic leaf, restore constitutional order, and return APC to its founding vision of being a progressive party is non-negotiable!”