Tinubu, not ready for second term – Lukman

…says President, managing govt affairs like military dictator

By Tom Okpe

Former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, (PGF) umbrella body of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) serving Governors, Salihu Moh’ Lukman has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu isn’t ready to rule the country for a second term like his predecessors, judging from his manner of governance.

He also said President Tinubu managing affair of Government like a military dictator, shutting down structures of the party and talking down on citizens like a philosopher king who has absolute knowledge of what will produce possible, happiness for citizens.

The former National Deputy Chairman, North West of the ruling party also queried, with APC now increasingly becoming a closed shop with virtually all its organs, demobilised and the omnipotent status of the President strengthened, what is the future of the party, being an envisioned progressive party, but end up producing progressive governments in reverse gear, what is the implication? Is it a question of leaders becoming indifferent to the electoral fortunes of the party? Does the fact of being indifferent to the electoral fortune of the party also mean being unconcerned about the future of democracy in Nigeria?

Lukman in a statement on Sunday, titled: ‘Beyond Taking Responsibility,’ said; “On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, in a press release, signed by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Mr President was reported to have assured Nigerians that the country ‘will survive the economic hardship’ and that he ‘takes full responsibility.’

“It is quite reassuring that President Tinubu is not in denial. However, the crucial issue is, having taken responsibility, how long would it take to get to the end of the ‘tunnel,’ when will the expected ‘light’ begin to shine?

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“What are the specific initiatives of Government to take Nigeria to the end of the tunnel and what is the guarantee that bright light and not some other shades of light is what will shine?

“Being a democracy with an elected Government, which claimed to be progressive, to what extent can citizens influence implementation of initiatives to get to the end of the ‘tunnel’ and see the ‘light’?

“Without hesitation, one can argue that at the rate we are going, our party, APC, and our leaders have shortchanged Nigerians.

“What Nigerians are having today wasn’t what was promised at all. The most disturbing reality is that, given the current economic hardship is produced during the first term of President Tinubu, with no end in sight, does it then mean that President Tinubu is not interested in second term?

“Certainly not. If he is interested in second term, why is he managing affair of Government like a military dictator, shutting down the structures of the party and talking down on citizens like a philosopher king who has absolute knowledge of what will produce possible, happiness for citizens?

“Unless the objective is to secure second term by other means and not votes of electorate, there cannot be any logical reasoning.

“Could that be the reason for the newfound love with some identified political merceneries who were strongly, opposed to the election of President Tinubu?

“How successful could they be? If military governments with all their recruited merceneries could fail to guarantee their survival how could anyone imagine that merceneries could win second term for the President,” he asked.

He noted that all these questions are being asked, not in agreement with any conclusion of being indifferent but, attempt to rekindle conscience of our leaders, especially, President Tinubu.

“The consequence is that, we are in a democracy that produced a ruling party, which scorn meetings. We have elected self-centred Presidents who hardly see the value of other party members.

“From the time of former President Buhari to today’s President Tunubu era, the orientation of Government and party politics is that, President is omnipotent, who, no one can question. This has continued in a worse form under President Tinubu, largely because at least, under former President Buhari, he never invokes his omnipotent status to nullify subsisting agreement within the party.

“Interestingly, President Tinubu, who is expected to be more democratic and progressive as well, one of the first exercise of his omnipotent leadership is to nullify zoning agreement within the party by moving the position of National Chairman out of North-Central to North-West with hardly, any consultation with party leaders in both the two zones.

“It is so painful that party members have been denied access to meeting President Tinubu, but some shylock political merceneries have now, become the faces and promoters of our so-called progressive government.

“Where are our founding leaders who negotiated the formation of the APC? What exactly do our founding leaders want to leave behind as their political legacy?

“Is it that they have also, resigned and accepted that the whole APC project is limited to making it possible for former President Buhari and President Tinubu to become President? In that case, why should Nigerians trust any political leader in future, when they come with proposals for mergers, or even political alliances?

“Certainly, once, leaders cannot function within structures of political parties, such leaders only operate, based on omnipotent status, no matter how loosely defined, commitment of leaders to democratic development of Nigeria will be weak.

“As it is, commitment of Mr President to democratic development of Nigeria is increasingly, being withdrawn.

“And, so long as he continues to manage his Government without allowing structures of the APC to operate and through that contribute to the decisions of Government, President Tinubu, just like former President Buhari’s Government will risk, being on the path of continuous betrayal of expectations of Nigerians.

“Worst still, being a government that detests inclusivity, it will be anything but progressive.

“It is my hope that President Tinubu, will recover his democratic credentials and reactivate his progressive politics before it is too late.

“As long as he continues to operate a closed Government in which party, leaders and members are unable to access him, he will continue to miss the golden opportunity God has given him to put Nigeria on the path of sustained democratic development.

“No amount of mercenary propaganda, will change that. May Allah, (SWT) give him and all our leaders the necessary guide to return to the path of democratic and progressive politics,” Lukman added.