The former National Vice Chairman, North-west of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Salihu Lukman has accused President Bola Tinubu of promoting the culture of tolerating and imposition in the party.
He added that five months after Tinubu assumed office, most APC leaders are as unclear about the direction of party or the government as ordinary Nigerians
Lukman in a statement issued Wednesday titled, “APC: The Inconvenient Reality”, said that the incidences of imposition of candidates and allegations of vote buying have gradually found strong expression in the ruling party.
He pointed out that serving governors were alleged to be exercising what could be considered monopoly control of party structures at state levels.
Lukman stressed that it was unacceptable that President Bola Tinubu would inspire party members to fight against the culture of imposition, only for him to initiate actions that risk compromising him as a leader who tolerates, if not promotes imposition within the APC.
He said: “Since the emergence of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the new moral leader of the APC produces a new reality whereby potential infractions may be created by initiatives directly coming from the President himself. A typical example is the case of altering the APC’s zoning formula by arbitrarily moving the position of the National Chairman from North-Central to North-West.
“Even when for instance, the North-Central remained shut out of consideration from any of the key positions in the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly, the position of National Chairman is being occupied by Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje from Kano State, North-West with North-Central completely merginalised both in the party and in the APC controlled federal government led by President Asiwaju Tinubu. Intriguingly, APC leaders are calm, not even leaders from North-Central seem to be disturbed by this new reality. What has really taken over President Asiwaju Tinubu?”
Lukman noted that the situation in APC after 10 years of existence as a party and eight years as a ruling party was gradually catching up with the low standards set by PDP during its 16 years.
The party Chieftain said it was quite alarming that a party envisioned to be progressive will be associated with such arbitrary conduct.
The former director general of Progressives Governors Forum said If care is not taken, at the rate they are indulging the leaders in APC, tolerating, accommodating undemocratic conduct and perhaps, illegality, the party would end up betraying all the goodwill of Nigerians.
“It is also unacceptable that President Asiwaju Tinubu will inspire us to fight against the culture of imposition, only for him to initiate actions that risk compromising him as a leader who tolerates, if not promotes imposition within the APC,” Lukman said.