APC Group Calls for Lukman’s Sack over Zoning of N’Assembly Leadership to South
The Indigenous Group of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Northern Stalwarts has called for the sack of the National Vice Chairman (North) of the party, Salihu Lukman, from the National Working Committee (NWC).
The group in a press briefing in Abuja yesterday, signed by Alhaji Mustapha Yaro, said it has become expedient to re-echo earlier calls by other patriotic groups from the zone that Lukman’s incessant opposition to the zone’s interest especially on the issue of the Senate Presidency had become embarrassing and should be condemned by all.
“The group has noticed the disturbing utterances of Salihu Lukman and his incessant rabble-rousing that negates the interests of the North-west which is unbecoming of a National Vice-Chairman (North).
“For a top party officer to be seen engaging in acts inimical to the interest of a strategic portion of the North that he or she represents is not acceptable and must not be tolerated.
“It is strange that in the presidential election, our party (APC) lost critical states like Katsina, Kano and Kaduna while also losing Zamfara and Kano in the governorship elections and all that did not worry Lukman, the supposed National Vice-Chairman overseeing the zone, nor did the fact that the President- elect lost Kaduna State, APC lost the three senatorial seats and several House of Representatives seats in Kaduna State, the home state of Salihu Lukman worry him. Rather, what worries Lukman is working against the interest of his zone in favour of South-south or South-east zones,” the statement added
“Since Salihu Lukman is more interested in the interest of a different geo-political zone than the North -west on behalf of which he sits on the National Working Committee, we hereby demand his immediate resignation or sack if he decides not to tow the path of honour.”
“We advise him to commence the process of running for the position of National Vice-Chairman South since that is where his interest lies. Your zone that produced the highest votes for Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President-elect is clamouring for the zone to get the Senate Presidency while you the supposed captain of the ship is campaigning and lobbying for South-south and South-east. We don’t think Lukman wants the success of APC in future elections,” the statement reiterated.
The coalition further declared its decision to commence a series of protests to run for weeks for the ouster of Salihu Lukman as National Vice-Chairman (North) as it has lost confidence in his ability to protect the interest of its geo-political zone.
It further restated its commitment to ensuring the North-west produces the next President of the Senate on grounds of performance, fairness and justice.
Recall that some members of the NWC of the party had at the weekend said it was yet to adopt a zoning arrangement for principal offices in the National Assembly.
They also criticised Lukman over his call for northern senators to withdraw from the race for the office of Senate President in the 10th National Assembly.
The Kaduna politician had stated that it would be unfortunate to have former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Jibrin Barau, or any other northern Muslim lawmaker emerge as the next Senate President at a time the APC desired to create a political balance of power.
The emergence of Yari and Barau increased the number of senators jostling for the number one office in the Red Chamber.
Others in the race are a former Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio; senator-elect representing Imo West, Osita Izunaso; Sani Musa (Niger East), Peter Ndubueze (Imo North), Ahmad Lawan (Yobe North) and Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu.
But Lukman’s position did not go down well with the leadership of the party and many of the NWC members.
In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, the party’s National Vice Chairman (North Central), Muazu Rijau, confirmed that the ruling party had not decided on the zoning of the Senate President, Speaker, and other principal offices.
He said, “It is Lukman’s personal opinion, not the party position. As a party man, he has a right to air his views. Therefore, his asking any northern aspirant to step down is his personal opinion.
“The party will decide on who or where they choose to zone the Senate presidency and Speaker offices after Sallah. Everything has been suspended for now.
“At the last NWC we had, we agreed to suspend talks on every issue till after Sallah. As you are aware, not all members are in town. Many of us have travelled.”
Another NWC member and National Vice Chairman for the South-east, Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu, also expressed reservations about the call, saying it did not represent the position of the party.
“Well, it is easy for anybody to say Lukman’s statement favours us in the South-east or South-south. But he is speaking on his own accord.
“Nobody authorised him to say anything to that effect and he is not speaking the position of the NWC. For me being from the South-east, his comment favours me. But I can still say authoritatively that he is not speaking for the NWC,” Arodiogbu added.
