The Arewa Think Tank (ATT) has cautioned the former national vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), North-West, Salihu Lukman, to refrain from pitting three former heads of state against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027......READ THE FULL STORY>>.....READ THE FULL STORY>>
The ATT was reacting to Lukman’s recent statement urging former heads of state, Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and retired General Aliyu Gusau, to strategise against the APC for the upcoming elections.
In response to a meeting held in Minna, Niger state, Lukman expressed concerns over Nigeria’s current political situation, stating that “the country is in an existential crisis” and that the nation’s democracy is in the “Intensive Care Unit” (ICU).
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However, the cnvener of ATT, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, advised Lukman to exercise patience, stressing that he should wait until 2027 to campaign and vote, rather than dragging the names of the former leaders into political controversy.
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He stated further that: “We should preserve the integrity of our elder statesmen.
“The former heads of state, Generals Olusegun Obasanjo, Ibrahim Babangida, and Abdulsalami Abubakar, are revered leaders. If they have any advice for Mr. President, they can reach out to him directly. It is wrong for Lukman to suggest they should take any action against President Tinubu,” Yakubu said.
Yakubu also stated the need to maintain decorum, saying, “Lukman should not heat up the polity. He should wait until 2027, when he can freely campaign. But dragging the names of these retired Generals into political mudslinging is unacceptable.”
Lukman had earlier reflected on the absence of Obasanjo and Babangida from the National Council of State meeting held on August 13, 2024, implying that their absence might not have been coincidental. He urged the former heads of state to leverage their influence to address Nigeria’s current challenges and reinvigorate democracy.
