A former National Vice Chairman North-west of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Salihu Lukman has said that the leadership of the party and the government of President Bola Tinubu have taken the self-destructive path following the sack of Senator Ali Ndume as the Chief Whip of the Senate and his expulsion from the party.
This, he said, was equivalent to a declaration of working to end their tenure in 2027, adding that patriotic Nigerians must help them to ensure their defeat in 2027.
Lukman in a statement issued Thursday titled, “Fanatical Mindset” maintained that any democracy that cannot accommodate criticism is no democracy
TheHintsNews reports that on Wednesday, Ndume was removed as Chief Whip of the Senate and replaced with Sen. Tahir Monguno following a directive contained in a letter sent to the APC Caucus in the Senate signed by APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje and National Secretary, Sen. Basiru Ajibola.
In the letter, Ndume was alleged to have made uncouth and rabid outbursts against the government, before the international was not only harmful to the government’s image alone but also undermines the party’s unity and cohesion.
Lukman pointed out that nowhere in the Constitution of APC where the National Chairman, National Secretary, or any official, or even the National Working Committee is given the powers to summarily remove any principal officer of the National Assembly.
He said it was a shame that the APC Senate Caucus would permit such an act of illegality, adding that by doing so, they have set a precedent that would further erode the independence of the National Assembly.
The former Director General of Progressives Governors Forum said unlike Tinubu who as Governor of Lagos State was surrounded by competent and visionary appointees, he is surrounded by third rated appointees.
He said a vintage Tinubu confronted by this kind of allegations would have publicly engaged Ndume and proved him wrong.
Lukman was of the opinion that there is a big difference between Tinubu, who was the Governor of Lagos State and Tinubu who is the President in the last one year who has become insular and inaccessible.
He stated: “The way things are, it is almost as if President Asiwaju Tinubu has resolved that he will only be a one term President. Under his watch living conditions of Nigerians is continuously getting worse. Instead of making effort to develop clear plans to address the situation, the government is becoming more intolerant to criticism.
“Any democracy that cannot accommodate criticism is no democracy. A democracy that subverts fair hearing is a dictatorship. A democracy that permits a ruling party to demobilise its organs and inadvertently expels its members is worse than a military government.
“All patriotic Nigerian political leaders must unite to restore Nigeria’s democracy. Nigerian opposition leaders must unite to build a truly strong political party to rebuild Nigerian democracy.
“All our opposition leaders and orphaned leaders of APC must come together and unite. Sen. Ndume being the newest APC orphan is welcome to join the effort of political leaders in the country to restore and rebuild our democracy.
“So long as APC, its leadership and Asiwaju Tinubu’s government have taken the self-destructive path, which is equivalent to a declaration of working end their tenure in 2027, patriotic Nigerians must help them to ensure their defeat in 2027.”