Salihu Moh. Lukman, former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Thursday, accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of undermining the independence of the Nigerian Senate, reducing it to a parastatal under the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
Lukman’s criticism comes on the heels of the removal of Senate Chief Whip, Ali Ndume, by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by Abdullahi Ganduje.
In a statement titled “Fanatical Mindset,” Lukman condemned the action, stating that it sets a dangerous precedent and erodes the National Assembly’s independence.
He questioned how Nigeria can have a democracy that produces leaders intolerant of criticisms, likening the ruling party’s behavior to that of military tribunals, condemning accused individuals without fair hearing.
Lukman urged patriotic Nigerians to unite and rescue the country from this destructive path, emphasizing that any democracy that cannot accommodate criticisms is no democracy at all.
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He called on opposition leaders to unite and build a strong political party to rebuild Nigerian democracy, welcoming Senator Ndume, the latest “APC orphan,” to join the efforts.
Lukman concluded that if the APC continues on this self-destructive path, patriotic Nigerians must ensure their defeat in 2027.
The statement reads, “It is quite interesting that Dr. Ganduje and Sen. Basiru could ask Sen. Ndume to ‘honourably resign the membership of APC and join any opposition party of his choice formally’. Already, with non-functioning organs, the APC has basically dismissed all its members.
“Nowhere in the Constitution of APC where the National Chairman, National Secretary, or any official, or even the National Working Committee is given the powers to summarily remove any principal officer of the National Assembly.
“It is a shame that the APC Senate Caucus will permit such an act of illegality. By so doing, they have set a precedence that will further erode the independence of the National Assembly.
“Already, with the way Sen. Godswill Akpabio has been conducting himself almost reducing the Senate Chamber to the status of a parastatal of government, the action of the APC under the leadership of Dr Ganduje to direct removal of principal officers for criticizing President Tinubu’s government highlights the fanatical mindset undermining Nigerian democracy.
“Any democracy that cannot accommodate criticisms is no democracy. A democracy that subverts fair hearing is a dictatorship. A democracy that permits a ruling party to demobilize its organs and inadvertently expels its members is worse than a military government. All patriotic Nigerian political leaders must unite to restore Nigeria’s democracy. Nigerian opposition leaders must unite to build a truly strong political party to rebuild Nigerian democracy. All our opposition leaders and orphaned leaders of APC must come together and unite. Sen. Ndume being the newest APC orphan is welcome to join the efforts of political leaders in the country to restore and rebuild our democracy.
“So long as APC, its leadership and Asiwaju Tinubu’s government have taken the self-destructive path, which is equivalent to a declaration of working to end their tenure in 2027, patriotic Nigerians must help them to ensure their defeat in 2027!”
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