The Presidency yesterday tackled former National Vice Chairman, Northwest, of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Salihu Lukman, over what he (Lukman) decsribed as growing deterioration of governance in the country, saying each successive administration had become progressively worse than its predecessor.
But the Presidency in a swift reaction, said it would not be distracted by comments by some persons on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it was focused on governance.
However, Lukman said while President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was worse than that of President Goodluck Jonathan, it was saddening that President Bola Tinubu administration was on track to becoming worse than that of Buhari.
He lamented that in spite of this, there was no structured engagements regarding 2027 among leading opposition leaders such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Mr Peter Obi of Labour Party, LP; and Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP.
“It is not enough to complain that President Bola Tinubu is bad without corresponding initiative to ensure that 2027 results in the defeat of APC at all levels. If APC is defeated in 2027, what is the guarantee that the new government to emerge post-Tinubu will not be worse?
“As Nigerians, we are witnesses to how governments at all levels progressively become worse. With all the confidence many of us had in former President Muhammadu Buhari, arguably his performance failed to meet public expectations, perhaps worse than former President Goodluck Jonathan.
”Certainly, President Tinubu is on track to becoming worse than former President Buhari,” Lukman stated.
He said it had become necessary to draw the attention of opposition political leaders in the country that their current carefree or unserious disposition could produce the disastrous outcome whereby Nigerians might be unable to change the government of President Tinubu in 2027.
Lukman said though it was a shared concern among these leaders that the situation in the country has deteriorated and was still further deteriorating, there was hardly any definitive engagement with the clear objective of mobilising Nigerians to effect a change in 2027.
He stated: “Acknowledging that there are isolated ongoing discussions about what needs to be done in 2027, it is very worrisome that those discussions are yet to graduate to structured political engagements on the platforms of any of the existing opposition political parties.
“Unfortunately, if anything, it is almost a case that all the existing registered political parties are decidedly in support of President Tinubu and to that extent, therefore, working covertly for his second term victory in 2027.
”So far, arguably, none of the parties, which ordinarily should be leading the opposition to President Tinubu’s government is making any effort to recruit and unite opposition political leaders in the country.
”Instead, all the leading opposition political parties are embroiled in some embarrassing internal crisis, which has pitched leaders of the parties against each other.
“It is quite appalling, for instance, that PDP leaders are antagonistic to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi is in the midst of a helpless survival leadership battle in LP and Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is oversighting a directionless NNPP whose roof is being torn apart by no other than its own so-called leaders.”
”All the other parties, including SDP and PRP, have adopted a monarchical behaviour, sitting in their comfort zones waiting for disgruntled and aggrieved opposition political leaders to come to them for some ‘royal’ covers.
”Perhaps, it could also be a case of waiting to harvest good political businesses through dealmaking in 2027, which is the standard political practice in Nigeria since the commencement of the current Fourth Republic.
“All these have contributed to embolden President Bola Tinubu and his APC. Insensitive and reckless decisions, which further worsen citizens’ conditions of living are being taken on a daily basis.
”On a scale never imagined in the country, Nigerians across all divides are living in agony on account of harsh living realities created by avoidable circumstances due to reckless policy decisions of the government.
”With hardly any sense of humility or remorse, President Tinubu and people in government audaciously continue to ask Nigerians to be patient while the government continues to indulge in some illogical, luxurious public expenditure without recourse to due processes.
”Yet, all that opposition leaders could do is to issue individual press statements. This is quite unacceptable.”
Responding, the Presidency yesterday said it would not be distracted by Lukman’s comments.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a short message to Vanguard through a text message, said: “We are focused on governance. The results of our reforms will speak eloquently for us. We have no time for people whose pastime is denigrating the administration.”
[Vanguard]