The All Progressives Congress (APC) crisis may not be over yet as Dr. Salihu Lukman, a member of the National Working Committee (NWC), has stated that no one could stop him from exposing wrongdoings within the party.
Lukman, the APC National Vice Chairman for the North West, claimed that Senators Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore, the party’s National Chairman and Secretary, had bullied and intimidated him because of his opinion of how the party is run.
He argued that contestation and disagreement are defining characteristics of any progressive political party in an open letter to APC leaders.
The politician from Kaduna, who vowed he wouldn’t back down from his position, dared Adamu and Omisore to kick him out of the party.
He cited Adamu’s refusal to provide the party with financial reports for the previous year as one of his complaints against him.
“Contrary to the provisions of Article 13.3A(xiv) of the APC constitution, we have managed the party since April 2022 without an approved budget. Not even the NWC received any reports of any kind. However, Article 13.4(ii) and (iv) mandate that the NWC provide NEC with quarterly reports on its operations and financial situation, including revenue and expenses.
“Billions of Naira have been spent based on the National Chairman’s and National Secretary’s discretion. Outside of Senators Adamu and Omisore and perhaps the National Treasurer and National Financial Secretary, no member of the NWC can currently claim to know the exact amount of money held in all of the party’s accounts, he said.
He continued, “Sen. Adamu’s politics are conservative and reactionary by any standard. Unfortunately, given all the current realities, he is a reckless, reactionary conservative politician who, if left unchecked, could lead the party to commit political suicide. Sen. Adamu’s goal of self-destructing the APC must be prevented by all party leaders and members waking up to this reality.
“According to all available reports, Adamu and Omisore both appeared to be animated about the fact that I had resumed public advocacy on the need to save the APC and make sure that the party’s structures were given life in accordance with APC constitution provisions.
Yes, I’ve started up my public advocacy again because no meetings are being allowed in any of the structures that ought to have allowed for internal discussions. As a party established with the intention of being a progressive party, the APC must allow for discussions and contests.
No one, no matter how highly placed, should believe that intimidating and blackmailing opponents is the best way to win arguments and competitions. Bullying won’t be able to stop the campaign to restore the APC to constitutional order.
