Some APC leaders became hostile over my criticisms, says Salihu Lukman on his resignation

Salihu Lukman, former director-general of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), says some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have become tyrants. 

TheCable had reported how Lukman resigned his position over the controversy surrounding the party’s convention planned for February.

Confirming his resignation in a statement on Wednesday, he said since the buildup to the 2019 elections, internal contests in the party have worsen.

The former director-general said he would continue with his campaign to return APC to its founding vision.

“I can confirm that it is true I have given my resignation to Forum Chairman, His Excellency Abubakar Atiku Bagudu. I restrained myself from making any public statement on the matter because I am still awaiting acceptance,” he said.

“I have privately responded to many enquiries from party leaders, friends, family members and clarified that it is true that my decision to resign my position is to enable me to continue with the campaign to return APC to its founding vision, which is to build a party that is not only democratic but oriented based on social democratic principles.

“Since the buildup to the 2019 elections, internal contests in the APC began to degenerate.

“Some leaders became intolerant and conducted themselves almost as tyrants. Every campaign to get the leadership of the party to commence the process of internal reform was resisted.

“Some party leaders in the bid to emerge as candidates of the party for offices became hostile.”

According to him, on hearing about his resignation, Bola Tinubu, former Lagos governor, reached out and commended him for championing campaigns to reform the party.

“One of the party leaders who honoured me with an invitation to meet him late on Tuesday, January 17, 2022, was Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.

“He commended me for championing the campaigns to reform the party and expressed shock that some members of Forum were intolerant to criticism.

“He argued that any party leader who will not accommodate critical opinion on fundamental issue such as respecting decisions and especially a matter as sensitive as organising the National Convention, which is the highest organ of the party, such a person is not a democrat and shouldn’t be associated with a party envisioned to be progressive such as the APC.”