APC ‘Rebel’ Salihu Lukman Breaks Silence After Resignation As Progressive Governors’Forum DG

The former Director General of Progressives Governors’ Forum of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Salihu Lukman, has broken his silence over his resignation even as he hailed has he hailed the National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, for his intervention.

Lukman, who had been a thorn in the flesh of the Mai Mala Buni- led Caretaker Committee of the party, was forced to resign as Director General of the PGF following his constant attacks on the leadership of the party over delay in organizing it’s national convention.

Lukman, who has not said anything since his resignation, has now broken his silence.

He issued a statement early Wednesday morning to confirm his resignation and inform the party of his resolve to continue his campaign to return the APC to it’s ideals.

He said his resignation will now “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.”

He explained that since the buildup to the 2019 elections, internal contest 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. Party campaign drifted to almost war situations in many instances.

“Organs of the party stop meetings as required by the constitution. Views of party leaders became decisions of the party.”

He said once the Caretaker Committee began to show signs of reluctance to organise convention for which it was set up, it should be a source of concern to all party members desirous of reform.

According to him, one of the persons who expressed worry and called him following his resignation was Bola Tinubu, who requested to see him.

He said he honoured Tinubu’s call, revealing that “he expressed shock that some members of the PGF were intolerant of criticism. He said that any party leader who will not accommodate critical opinion on fundamental issues such as respecting decisions and especially a matter as sensitive as organising the National Convention, which is the highest organ of the party, is not a democrat and should not be associated with a party envisioned to be progressive such as the APC.”

He said, “With these words, he encouraged me to continue with my campaign, which is what the party need.

“The next task before all party leaders is to ensure the new leadership of the party to emerge from the February 26, 2022 National Convention will be tolerant to criticism, democratic and more importantly share the commitments of the founding leaders to build a truly progressive party.”