Lukman Raises Alarm, Says Nigeria May End Up With Worse Leaders If Tinubu Is Defeated

A former national vice chairman, North-west of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has stated that the country may end up with worse leaders even if President Bola Tinubu is defeated in the 2027 elections.

He insisted that the challenge of what to do to ensure that anybody who succeeds Tinubu in 2027 works to meet the expectations of the citizens must be addressed.

Speaking via a statement in Abuja on Sunday, the APC chieftain asserted that Nigerians must summon the courage to go beyond the sentiment of just defeating APC and Tinubu in 2027.

Speaking further, Lukman stated that he agrees with the stance of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, that he will not support any coalition against APC if it is just for a power grab.

He said, “Even in the context of power shift, of what use is power shift to any region if in the end citizens of the same region where the President comes from are shortchanged? What has South-West got to show for the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo? What has South-South got to show for the tenure former President Jonathan? The same could be asked in relation to the North and the tenure of both former Presidents Umaru Yar’Adua and Buhari.

“What will be different if another president emerged whether from the North or South in 2027 to succeed President Tinubu? Many of us are engaging these issues with the objective of changing the reality of our democracy. Of course, we must also acknowledge that many leading opposition and displaced politicians are engaging the issues with the old mindset of power grab.

“So long as that is the case, we may succeed in producing a new party and end up with a dysfunctional party, which will be reduced to being a platform for aspiring candidates. The first indicator will be that the new party will be handed to preferred aspirants who will proceed to appoint leaders of the party and emerge as candidates for 2027.

“Already, one of the tendencies among the displaced politicians, which is closely associated with former President Buhari is working to impose itself as the leaders of the new opposition party. That tendency is already syndicating media reports about the new party. Painfully, the tendency lacks the needed humility to have the required self-appreciation and recognition of its poor electoral prospects.

“Some of the opposition and displaced leaders are also similarly restlessly positioning themselves to control any emerging party that could be the platform for the contest against APC and President Tinubu without humbly recognising their poor electoral prospects.”