Lukman: Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso, Others Must Collaborate to Defeat Tinubu in 2027

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Immediate past National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has called on former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former governors Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Rotimi Amaechi, to team up in order to defeat the APC in 2027.
In a statement in Abuja, yesterday, Lukman also listed in the proposed merger, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former governors Nasir El-rufai, Rauf Aregbesola, Kayode Fayemi and Ibikunle Amosun, among other political leaders.

In the statement titled: “Future of Democracy in Nigeria”, Lukman said building the kind of united front capable of moving Nigerian democracy forward required selflessness on the part of Nigerian political leaders.
Lamenting the current situation of the country, the former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), lamented a situation where APC as the ruling party in Nigeria promised to provide the needed leadership to fight corruption but has legitimised higher level of corruption and ‘state capture’ virtually at all levels.

“What is the future of democracy in Nigeria? Is there any prospect that it can produce leaders who are responsive to national challenges? Being responsive is basically about ensuring that public expenditures are oriented to tackle challenges facing citizens. What are the challenges facing Nigerians today?
“Poverty, unemployment, insecurity, drugs and substance abuse, millions of out of school children in the North, etc. Not to talk of the additional problems of inflation and the crash of the value of incomes especially in the last one year under the leadership of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Although some officials of the government of President Asiwaju Tinubu have attempted to explain the current hardship Nigerians are facing with reference to the bad economy inherited from the previous administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the reality is that both are APC Governments.
“If anything, APC became very popular in Nigeria on account of the failings of the PDP. What were the failings of the PDP? The failings of the PDP are reflected in the same way today’s challenges are manifesting. If the truth is to be told, whatever was the failings of PDP in 2015, it was less grievous than what it has become under APC in 2024.

“No doubt, former President Buhari had his problem as a leader. However, whatever was estimated to be his failure should be the shared responsibility of APC leaders in varying degrees, including President Asiwaju Tinubu. No leader of APC should attempt to distance himself/herself from the failure of the Buhari era, certainly, not President Asiwaju Tinubu.

“In one way or the other, APC leaders, without exception, are ‘beneficiaries’ of the Buhari era, just as some of them could claim to be victims. On balance, however, APC leaders benefited more from the Buhari era than being victims.
“At least electorally, former President Buhari made it possible for APC to defeat the PDP. Without former President Buhari, the defeat of PDP in 2015 would have been almost impossible, and by extension, arguably, would have been difficult, if not impossible for President Asiwaju Tinubu to become President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”