Salihu Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has stated that there is no substantial difference between the ruling APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Speaking on Channels Television’s “Sunday Politics,” Lukman asserted that the APC has become worse than the PDP, which it originally aimed to replace,Daily Trust report.
Lukman criticized the PDP for becoming a one-man show, abandoning internal democracy, and imposing candidates on the electorate. He emphasized that these were the issues that led to the formation of the APC through the merger of opposition parties to defeat the PDP and rectify its flaws.
“We were clear on the kind of party the APC should be. We saw the weaknesses of the PDP. Beyond candidate imposition, elected officials were not accountable to the party or anyone. We envisioned the APC as a party that would depart from these practices, hence our slogan ‘change’,” Lukman explained.
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He recalled that during the discussions on the party’s manifesto, the intention was to establish a social democratic party prioritizing health, education, and social services. However, Lukman lamented that the APC has deviated from these ideals.
According to Lukman, the party’s issues began during Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, describing Buhari as an emperor-like figure who was the party’s sole electoral asset. Lukman expressed hope that with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, changes would occur, but he admitted that the situation has worsened.
“We are dealing with a party where some of its organs have never been convened since its formation. We have a party that hasn’t held a meeting in a year, yet it controls the government,” Lukman lamented.
He criticized the current administration for its extreme right-wing approach, noting that instead of addressing pressing issues such as insecurity, the 10 million out-of-school children, and widespread hunger, the APC administration is focused on projects like the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway.
Lukman also pointed out that the Tinubu who governed Lagos is different from the Tinubu running the country, suggesting that he needs to change the people around him to get back on track.
