Former National Vice Chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has expressed concern over the defection of former Kaduna State Governor and erstwhile chieftain of the ruling party, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Lukman described the former governor’s decision as hasty.
He said: “Yes, I am close to Mallam El-Rufai to the extent that we come from the same state and were in the same party. I also had the privilege of being nominated by him to serve in the National Working Committee of the APC. Of course, as everyone knows, we have had our disagreements. However, one clear fact is that whether Mallam would remain in the APC or not was already a foretold story.
*”This was expected, especially after the interview he granted to Arise TV. You could see the signs. However, I did not anticipate it happening so soon. My expectation was that he should have been a bit more patient so we could exit as a group, based on the ongoing negotiations.
“But he knows best, and I hope his decision does not derail our collective efforts. My hope is that, in the end, we will be able to reconcile and work together under one platform.”
Lukman, who is among those rallying support for a coalition of parties against the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections, said El-Rufai’s choice of the SDP could negatively impact the coalition.
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“Discussions about whether the SDP will be part of the coalition have been ongoing. The challenge is whether the SDP will agree to certain conditions we believe are necessary. What are these conditions? Frankly speaking, unlike most conventional politicians who just want a platform to present candidates and win elections, some of us believe the issue goes beyond that.
“What Nigerians need is a platform that will promote real political competition in the country. If you recall, the problem Nigerians had with the PDP was the imposition of candidates. When the APC came with a promise of ‘Change,’ Nigerians expected a shift away from that culture.
“Unfortunately, we have failed in that regard. In fact, the situation has worsened. If things continue as they are, it is predictable that President Asiwaju will be the APC’s candidate in 2027, and all first-term APC governors will secure their party’s tickets, regardless of their popularity in their states. Likewise, all federal and state legislators, whether they have performed well or not, will be re-elected as long as they remain in the good books of Asiwaju and the party leadership.”
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