A former National Vice Chairman North-west of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Salihu Lukman has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and Labour Party (LP) cannot serve as the platforms to rescue Nigeria from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said the rising anger in the country must be utilised and directed to strengthen the emergence of a veritable functional political party different from APC, PDP, LP and NNPP.
Lukman in a statement issued Sunday titled, “#EndBadGovernance Campaign: What Next?” said given that the majority of political leaders are already aggrieved and with the way the government has rendered virtually all registered political parties comatose, the process of uniting aggrieved political leaders across all parties must earnestly commence.
“This is the point when ideally, opposition leaders such as Alh. Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi and Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso should step forward to provide the needed leadership to reform our democracy and ensure the emergence of a functional political party capable of rescuing Nigeria,” he said.
Lukman stressed that in addition to opposition leaders, other political leaders in APC who have been edged out of the party should join forces with opposition leaders to rescue the country and put Nigeria back on the path of democratic development.
He noted: “These leaders include Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Sen. Ibukunle Amosun, Mal. Nasir El-Rufai, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and many others.”
“As it is, the President Tinubu’s administration seems to be on a roller coaster of aggrandised spendings amid mass hunger and poverty in the country, which is partly responsible for the highly volatile situation in the country.
“While acknowledging that there are already unfolding initiatives in this direction, the rising anger in the country must be utilised and directed to strengthen the emergence of a veritable functional political party different from APC, PDP, LP and NNPP.
“As it is, it must be acknowledged that these parties cannot serve as the platforms to rescue Nigeria from its current unfortunate self-inflicted downward spiral producing mass poverty and starvation.”
The former APC chieftain said following the clampdown by security agencies against some Nigerians alleged to be linked to the #EndBadGovernace protest, the administration of President Bola Tinubu may embark on crackdown of political opposition in the country
To this end, he said there was an urgent need to develop the appropriate political strategy for citizens, especially Nigerian youths to organically connect with democratic structures in the country and use them to negotiate effective responses to challenges facing the country.
The former Director General of Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) noted that for any political party to develop the needed capacity to rescue Nigeria and put the country back on the path of national democratic development, it must appropriately connect with the current #EndBadGovernance campaign.
Lukman stressed that such a party must be capable of recruiting the leaders of the campaign as potential candidates for 2027 elections at different levels.
According to him, The point must be made, if the government led by President Asiwaju Tinubu has failed to connect with Nigerians who are legitimately angry and in need of opportunity and platform to negotiate their future, opposition and orphaned political leaders in the country must join forces and create the desired democratic alternative openings to start negotiating a prospective and prosperous future for Nigerians.
Lukman said: “The Inability to produce a functional political party is partly responsible for why the leaders of the #EndBadGovernance campaign will remain amorphous largely because of the current repressive disposition of the government.
“Already, there are indications of some clampdown activities by security agencies against some Nigerians alleged to be linked to the last protest.
“The danger is, if care is not taken it can lead to full blown crack down against political opposition in the country with the possible subversion of legally guaranteed rights of citizens. There is therefore the urgent need to develop the appropriate political strategy for citizens, especially Nigerian youths to organically connect with democratic structures in the country and use them to negotiate effective responses to challenges facing the country.”