Former All Progressives Congress National Vice Chairman for the North-west region, Salihu Lukman, has made a striking claim that the recent removal of Senator Ali Ndume as Senate Chief Whip and his expulsion from the party signals President Bola Tinubu’s intention to serve only one term in office.
Lukman’s statement comes on the heels of Ndume’s ousting on Wednesday, which was reportedly orchestrated by APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and National Secretary Senator Basiru Ajibola. The move was allegedly prompted by Ndume’s outspoken criticism of the president.
Lukman, in his statement titled “Fanatical Mindset,” lamented the suppression of free speech in the country, drawing parallels to the authoritarian rule of former military dictator Sani Abacha. He expressed concern that personal liberties are under threat, fair hearing is no longer guaranteed, and that the country has “democracy without democrats.”
Lukman argued that the APC Constitution does not grant the National Chairman, National Secretary, or any official the power to unilaterally remove principal officers of the National Assembly. He criticized the APC Senate Caucus for permitting this “act of illegality,” which he believes sets a dangerous precedent that undermines the independence of the National Assembly.
Lukman stated, “The way things are, it is almost as if President Asiwaju Tinubu has resolved that he will only be a one-term President. Under his watch, the living conditions of Nigerians are continuously getting worse. Instead of making effort to develop clear plans to address the situation, the government is becoming more intolerant to criticism.”
He continued, “Any democracy that cannot accommodate criticism 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.”
Lukman concluded, “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!”
