Former National Vice Chairman, North West, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has stated that former president Olusegun Obasanjo and other past leaders are responsible for the challenges plaguing Nigeria.

He insisted that the decision of Obasanjo and others to produce “anointed successors” makes them part of the problem.

Lukman stated this while reacting to Obasanjo’s remark that even Satan produces leaders but such are bound to fail, while those chosen by God will succeed.

Speaking via an open letter titled “Satanic Leadership and Nigeria’s Boiling Point,” Lukman urged Obasanjo to accept his past mistakes as Nigeria seeks solutions to its challenges.

He charged the former President to stop dwelling on the “vain glory” of his past and recognise that all Nigerian leaders since independence share responsibility for the leadership crises plaguing the country.

According to him, “Your Excellency inadvertently institutionalized the practice of imposition of candidates in our political parties.

“Without going into details, you will recall how in PDP, ahead of the 2007 elections, under Your Excellency’s leadership, the practice of imposition of candidates became the political robe of the PDP.

“Eventually, being the ruling party for sixteen years, the imposition of candidates became an acceptable political rule.

“With imposition, basically, our democracy lost its bearing and became a shadow of the worst authoritarian system.

“The major challenges faced by Nigeria since independence are a result of attempts by past leaders, including Your Excellency, to produce ‘anointed’ successors.

“This has contributed to the political crises and the resulting social and economic challenges, which have worsened under successive administrations.”