Salihu Lukman, former vice-chairman (north-west) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he suspended his membership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) out of sheer frustration and anger.
On July 16, Lukman announced the suspension of his ADC membership over what he termed “painful and hostile treatment” from Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna.
In a statement addressed to David Mark, ADC national chairman, Lukman said he has been consistently sidelined regarding leadership representation in Kaduna, leaving him feeling “reduced to the status of a bastard”.
The former director-general of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), who quit the APC in 2024, also accused Rotimi Amaechi, vice-presidential candidate of the ADC, of associating with members who are not loyal to the party.
Speaking on Friday on Arise Television’s Morning Show programme, Lukman said he became frustrated after the coalition leaders abandoned the collective mission of rescuing the country in pursuit of personal ambitions.
He said his decision to suspend his membership was borne out of the realisation that partisan affiliation alone would not solve Nigeria’s challenges.
“About two weeks ago, out of frustration, I announced the suspension of my membership. Because, look, we are faced with a serious challenge. Partisan affiliation will not get us out of the mess we are facing now,” he said.
‘NIGERIA IS BIGGER THAN ADC’
Lukman said he was willing to return to the ADC if opposition leaders could come together and negotiate a common framework ahead of the 2027 general election.
“I am ready to return my membership of the ADC on the basis of ensuring that we bring all leaders of the ADC back. Nigeria is bigger than the ADC,” he said.
“And I believe (that) if we are to move forward and present a new template in the 2027 election that will give confidence to Nigerians, people must agree to come and negotiate terms on the basis of which, if it is the ADC candidate that will be adopted, there will be objective criteria that will convince everybody that it is the right way to go.”
Lukman said the coalition was conceived with the expectation that opposition leaders would rise above personal interests and unite in response to the country’s challenges, but lamented that individual ambitions had taken precedence.
“When we started the advocacy for the coalition and for the unity of opposition leaders, the expectation was that the political leadership in the opposition were rational people,” he said.
“They would be able to see the need and the danger before the country. But that is now subsumed in their personal ambition.”
The former APC chieftain also expressed disappointment that the ADC had yet to unveil the policy document prepared by its 50-member committee, where he served as secretary.
According to him, the delay and conduct of the party’s candidates have weakened confidence that any policy commitments would be faithfully implemented.
“We did a very good job, and I am aware that there are so many discussions around the need to get that policy even unveiled,” he said.
“But if it’s taking us this long after concluding the work, we have produced candidates, and the candidates are still conducting themselves the same old way.
“I mean, we can unveil policies and make declarative statements about policy commitments, but the extent to which we can get our candidates elected, held accountable, and regulated in such a way that they implement the policies contained in the manifesto is already weak.”
Lukman said Nigerians are currently left with difficult political choices, arguing that while the APC-led administration had failed in many respects, the opposition has also struggled to inspire confidence.
“I had to cry out that Nigerians are confronted with the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea,” he said.
“Yes, President Bola Tinubu and the APC have, for all intents and purposes, messed up. But the confidence with which we can look at ourselves and say our leaders are better is also weak.”
He said the opposition’s shortcomings had contributed to the confidence displayed by the ruling APC despite the country’s difficulties.
The politician said despite his frustration and anger, consultations were ongoing among stakeholders and expressed optimism that a clearer direction would emerge soon.
“I must confess, I am full of frustration, full of anger, but we need to pull ourselves back together and begin to think of a pathway.
“And sincerely, we’re doing consultations, and within the next one week, we should be able to come out and say, ‘This is how we are proceeding.’”
