As the 2027 general elections approach, former Deputy National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Salihu Lukman, has called on opposition leaders to put aside their presidential ambitions in favor of building a stronger political alternative to the ruling APC.
In a recent interview with Arise News, Lukman, who resigned from the APC, highlighted the challenges facing Nigerian democracy, pointing to the culture of imposition within political parties.
He stressed the need for a collective effort to avoid replicating the mistakes of the past, which could result in the rise of another “variant” of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“What is wrong with the APC is what is wrong with Nigeria in my view… the failure of APC is largely due to its inability to meet a number of some of those criteria that could have ensured better governance,” Lukman said. “The culture of imposition took over.”
Lukman’s remarks come as the Social Democratic Party (SDP), under former presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo, has begun forging alliances in the North.
Adebayo hinted at meetings with influential northern figures, including former Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai, as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s political base ahead of the elections.
Lukman echoed similar sentiments, calling for political figures like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party (LP) candidate Peter Obi, and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso to focus on building a party that would prioritize the country’s future over individual ambitions.
He warned that failing to do so would only perpetuate the same leadership failings that have plagued the nation.
“It’s now that we should begin to align ourselves and ensure that in the whole campaign to defeat APC, we are not replicating exactly the mistake APC has made,” Lukman urged.
Lukman also expressed disappointment in the APC’s current direction under President Bola Tinubu, lamenting that the party had failed to live up to its founding vision.
He believes the administration has veered from the promises made during the 2015 campaign, notably the promise to create a level playing field within the party.
“I had the conviction that Tínubu is truly a progressive politician and a democrat,” Lukman recalled of his support for Tinubu’s presidential bid. “But once I saw he was departing from those beliefs, I didn’t wait any longer.”
Lukman’s appeal is for opposition figures to adopt a strategy of subordinating personal ambitions to the collective good of the nation, ensuring that a true, accountable alternative to the APC emerges. He emphasized the importance of competitive primaries and building stronger political structures to prevent the emergence of another party entrenched in the culture of imposition.
“If we continue to play politics the old way, then Nigeria is not going to get any better,” Lukman concluded, urging for a more democratic and transparent leadership style ahead of the 2027 elections.
