No more Buhari effect, politicians must earn votes — ADC’s Lukman

Ahead of the upcoming general elections, Salihu Lukman, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, has stated that the absence of the late President Muhammadu Buhari will be felt in the political landscape of the North.

Lukman made this statement on Wednesday during an appearance on the Arise TV program, Morning Show.

He noted, however, that it is becoming increasingly evident that the late President will no longer be able to influence votes as he had in the past.

He said “What we must learn, most especially in the Coalition is that we don’t have somebody with the kind of intimidating profile like that of late late Buhari and what that means is that all the leaders of coalition needs to be humble and acknowledge that they need one another and in the context of that, develop a strong team work. I think that is the challenge we are all facing. Our leaders must have a kind of team spirit.

“It is not about succeeding in defeating APC and Tinubu but succeeding in producing a new, fresh political template that will begin to meet the expectations of Nigerians. That is what I have been emphasising. We must try to build a strong political party.”

He further cautioned politicians to must be humble and show sincerity in fulfilling campaign promises and negotiate good relationship with citizens.

“I am aware, being somebody from the North, I know that many politicians look forward to him raising their hands and endorsing them. That translates almost into victory in many places in the North. And that, in a way, made politicians to be lazy.

“Now we don’t have any figure like that, which is why today I am one of those in the Coalition who keeps raising the point that leaders of the Coalition must remember, we don’t have somebody like late President Buhari anymore, who when he raises your hand, it translates into victory.

“What that means is that politicians must be humble and begin to engage citizens with more listening ears and disposition when they promise and win election to begin to meet those expectations of citizens.

“And we have to work hard. The challenge of having somebody like late President Buhari now absent in Nigerian politics is that politicians must realize, especially those who want to contest election, if they are to win election, except if they want to rig, they must be humble and relate to citizens with higher level of humility rather than the current arrogance.”

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