Former PGF Director General Threatens Legal Action Against APC Leadership
- Salihu Lukman, former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum, has threatened legal action against the APC leadership for alleged breaches of party rules
- Lukman criticised the party for not holding key meetings and for the controversial appointment of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as national chairman
- He urged President Tinubu to restore constitutional order within the APC by June 7, 2024, or face civil and legal actions to enforce compliance
Salihu Lukman, the former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), has threatened to take the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to court over alleged breaches of party rules and national laws.
In an open letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lukman, who also served as APC’s Vice National Chairman North West, accused the party leadership of violating Sections 221-229 of Part II of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, as amended, and the Electoral Act 2022.
Salihu Lukman warns he is ready to go court if highlited issues are not swiftly addressed
Image: X/ABAT,SalihuLukmanSource: Facebook
The Guardian reported that Lukman’s grievances include the failure to hold meetings of key party organs and the controversial appointment of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the national chairman, which he claims contravenes the party’s zoning formula.
He criticised the APC leadership for undermining the principles of consultation and respect for valid agreements made through political negotiations.
Salihu Lukman condemns APC
In his letter, Lukman highlighted the lack of functionality within the party’s critical structures, specifically pointing out that the Board of Trustees, now renamed the National Advisory Council, has not been inaugurated since the APC’s formation in July 2013.
This, he argued, has allowed the National Working Committee (NWC) to centralize power, with the National Chairman making discretionary decisions without proper checks and balances.
“Democracy is meaningless without functional political parties,” Lukman wrote. “When leaders of the ruling party deliberately subvert the provisions of the party’s constitution, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), and the Electoral Act 2022, the membership of the party is rendered useless.”
Lukman pledged to initiate legitimate civil and legal actions to enforce compliance with all relevant laws governing political parties and their leadership.
He expressed his willingness to retract his stance if President Tinubu orders a return to constitutional and legal order within the APC by June 7, 2024.
The former PGF DG also revealed his frustration over unsuccessful attempts to meet with President Tinubu since the previous year, expressing disbelief that the APC-led administration is associated with decisions that undermine democratic principles.
Lukman’s open letter, dated May 21, 2024, was also addressed to key political figures, including Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas.
Northern elder condemns Tinubu’s first year
In another report, Prof. Usman Yusuf, a member of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), characterised President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a source of hopelessness.
He observed that instead of inspiring hope among Nigerians, the current administration has increased their sense of hopelessness over the past year since the former Lagos governor became the country’s president.
Source: TheTalk.NG
