You can’t expel me from APC – Lukman dares Adamu, Omisore
The last is yet to be heard of the crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress as a member of the national working committee, Salihu Lukman says nobody can stop him from pointing out wrongdoings in the party.
Lukman who is the APC National Vice Chairman North West accused the national chairman and secretary of the party, Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore of bullying and intimidating him over his stance on the way and manner the party is being administered.
In an open letter to APC leaders, he maintained that contestation and disagreement are defining attributes of any progressive political party.
The Kaduna-born politician who swore that he cannot be cowed into compromising his stance dared Adamu and Omisore to expel him from the party.
He identified the refusal by Adamu to render accounts of the party for the past one year as part of his grouse against him.
“We have managed the party since April 2022 without an approved budget as required under Article 13.3A (xiv) of the APC constitution. No report of any kind to any organ, not even the NWC. Yet, Article 13.4 (ii) and (iv) require the NWC to submit quarterly reports of activities and finances covering income and expenditure to NEC,” he said.
“Billions of Naira have been expended based on discretionary decisions of the National Chairman and National Secretary. Till date, no member of the NWC can claim to know how much is in all the accounts of the party outside Sen. Adamu and Sen. Omisore and perhaps the National Treasurer and National Financial Secretary.”
“By every definition, Sen. Adamu’s politics is conservative and reactionary. Unfortunately, however, based on all the unfolding realities, he is a reckless conservative and reactionary politician, who, if left unchecked, can pull the party in the direction of committing political suicide. All party leaders and members must wake up to this reality and stop Sen. Adamu from achieving his mission of self-destroying the APC.
“Both Sen. Adamu and Sen. Omisore, from all available reports, appeared to be animated that I have resumed public advocacy on the need to save the APC and ensure that the structures of the party are given life in line with provisions of the APC constitution. Yes, I have resumed public advocacy because all the structures that should have permitted internal debates are being blocked from meeting.
“For the record, if you want to resume deliberations to consider expelling me from the party, you are free to do so. I will defend myself publicly to the best of my ability. APC, as a party founded with the vision of being a progressive party, must accommodate debates and contestations.
“Nobody, no matter how highly placed, should imagine that the best way to win debates and contestation is to bully and blackmail opponents. I can guarantee you; no amount of bullying will stop the campaign to return APC to constitutional order.
“By the way, you are free to expel me from APC, but you cannot expel me as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. APC is not a private property. It is a public political organisation with rule, which must be respected. Sen. Adamu and Sen. Omisore can block organs of the APC from meeting to the extent that other leaders of the party are willing to permit.
“No one can block me, in any way, from discharging my right to engage the issues both as Nigerian and as a member of APC, expelled or not. For your information, I am currently working to document all these experiences, which I will publish, God willing, so that it contributes to the body of knowledge in the development of party politics in Nigeria.
“Whether you respect my right to hold membership of APC or not, I can proudly say that my publications will remain references for anyone who wishes to understudy the APC for the foreseeable future.
“Perhaps, let me also indulge the National Chairman, Sen. Adamu by informing him that contrary to his campaign of slander against me, I consider myself a very successful person. Unlike the lies he enjoys telling NWC members that I was sacked in five places, in all the places I worked, I left credible records, and they are all there to be verified.
“Respect begets respect. I respect Sen. Adamu and I will not because of disagreement with his politics, slander his person and his reputation. Without doubt, I can confirm to you that I am committed to anything I subscribe to and will always discharge any responsibility given to me that I willfully and willingly accept to discharge.
“My current position as APC National Vice Chairman North-West is no exception. In discharging my responsibility for that office as provided in the APC constitution, I will do so without fear or favour with the objective of contributing to the development of Nigerian democracy and the APC as a political party registered under the law.
“The struggle to return APC to constitutional order is about achieving the founding vision of forming a party that is progressive and encourages internal debates and contestations by allowing all the structures provided in the APC constitution to freely operate. Leaders of APC must be friendly to debates, contestations, engagements and should not lay back to find ways of blocking debate using bullying methods and blackmailing opponents.
“In the last few years, APC has been so damaged to the point of being reduced to a party that is in contempt of its own rules. As a person, I believe that all leaders and members of the party must rise to the challenge of restoring APC to its founding vision and one that is undeniably progressive, and not only in name. The struggle continues!”
