Former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), North West, Salihu Lukman, has launched a scathing critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of turning the ruling party into a personal enterprise and dismantling democratic structures.
In a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday, Lukman claimed that Tinubu has systematically demobilized mechanisms that would enable accountability and facilitate consultations with elected leaders, including the President himself. He warned that Nigerian democracy is on life support, likening it to a patient in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with no doctors available for resuscitation, as other political parties remain mired in internal conflicts.
Lukman further expressed disappointment in the President’s apparent disinterest in the plight of Nigerians, saying, “It seems as though President Tinubu is indifferent to whether Nigerians are living or dying.” He described the current administration as one making “all the wrong decisions,” leading to a steady deterioration of Nigeria’s political and economic health.
The former Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) also expressed concern about the resurgence of authoritarian tendencies, referencing recent arbitrary arrests and detentions of journalists, labor leaders, and citizens critical of government policies. He warned that the country is becoming a training ground for authoritarianism under Tinubu’s leadership.
Lukman highlighted the ongoing dispute between Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as emblematic of mismanaged public policy. He criticized the government for imposing economic hardship on citizens through rising fuel prices, which he argued were the result of “manipulative control and a parasitic monopoly” orchestrated by the NNPC.
He lamented that since Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, the quality of life for Nigerians has drastically declined. “More than at any time in Nigeria’s history, citizens are being impoverished at an alarming rate,” Lukman noted, adding that the President has become increasingly inaccessible, even comparing Tinubu’s openness unfavorably to that of past military rulers like General Sani Abacha.
Lukman also pointed out the abandonment of key infrastructure projects, such as the Kaduna-Abuja road, which he described as a death trap. In contrast, new projects, such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, are being initiated without adequate budgetary provisions, further exacerbating the country’s financial strain.
In his statement, Lukman expressed dismay at the Federal Government’s failure to alleviate citizens’ economic burdens, accusing the administration of prioritizing stringent policies that devalue citizens’ resources. He remarked that the so-called “Renewed Hope” agenda has left Nigerians helpless, with life becoming “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
According to Lukman, the recent vote of confidence passed on President Tinubu by the National Council of State reflects the growing legitimacy crisis within the government. He criticized the use of this constitutional body to bolster the President’s image, stating that such actions are “disrespectful and demeaning” when the country faces an existential crisis.
As Nigerian democracy languishes in what Lukman described as an ICU, he called on respected national figures like former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and General Aliyu Gusau to step up and restore the democratic structures that have been destroyed. Lukman urged these statesmen and other patriots to act as the “doctors” needed to rescue Nigerian democracy from collapse.
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, Lukman stressed the importance of building a strong opposition party capable of challenging the ruling APC and holding candidates accountable. He argued that such a party would be essential to safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy and ensuring that leaders are answerable to the people.
“May God strengthen the capacity of all Nigerian statesmen, women, and patriots to serve as the ‘doctors’ needed to get Nigerian democracy out of ICU. Amin!” Lukman concluded.
