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A former National Vice Chairman, North-West of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman said opposition political parties as well as isolated APC leaders have commenced negotiations towards producing alternative political platform ahead of 2027.
Lukman also stressed that most Nigerian politicians were not disposed to competitive political culture, saying they were driven by personal ambitions to contest elections as well as imposition and manipulating the processes; insisting that such mindset must stop.
In his New Year message, the former APC chieftain reminded all political leaders that if they want to prove their altruistic value and demonstrate strong disposition towards rescuing Nigeria, they should commit themselves to allowing political competition as basis for the emergence of leaders at all levels.
He called on Nigerians to rise to the challenge of making the defeat of APC and President Bola Tinubu not only possible in 2027, but most importantly, guarantee the election of truly democratic leaders, not emperors.
“The only way that could be possible is if as Nigerians, we are able to focus ourselves to produce a functional political party that will respect its own rules. Certainly, such a functional political party must be distinctively different from APC, PDP, LP, NNPP and all the existing registered political parties in the country.
“There in lie the difficult challenge. How can such a party be produced and by who? Is it a new party, which will apply for registration with INEC? Will it be registered? If not, what are the options?
“The other related question is whether such a party will be formed by the same politicians who were associated with APC and PDP, and in many respects, people who could be adjudged to be responsible for getting Nigeria to this messy situation.”
He reminded opposition leaders that they are also part of the nation’s problem as long as they approach the process of leadership selection in the country on strategy to impose themselves.
“Opposition leaders can continue to delude themselves with the false belief about imposition through fair or unfair processes, so long as political competition continue to be undermined, the propensity to remain in state of misery, disbelief and negativity may continue.
“To Nigerians, we need to all wake up and seek to take our destiny in our own hands. The source of strength and audacity of Nigerian politicians is derived from the docility and passivity of ordinary Nigerians.
“Once majority of Nigerians concedes politics as the monopoly or exclusive vocation of so-called politicians, the risks of undermining political competition and producing bad leaders with the attendant consequences of remaining in permanent state of misery, disbelief and negativity will be high,” Lukman said.
The former APC chieftain said Nigerians need to move into 2025 with a positive disposition that it is indeed possible to produce a new political reality in the country.
According to him, it is possible to produce a political party that can guarantee political competition as basis for leadership selection at all levels.
“It is possible to rebuild democratic structures in the country, including political parties, and get them to challenge political leaders in Nigeria to produce their positive side and put the nation on the roadmap of joining the comity of developed nations.
“It is possible for Nigeria to rise in our lifetime and produce political leaders that will be source of pride to citizens. Through the right political alignments, re-organisation and new refreshing initiatives, our resourcefulness, productivity and innovative disposition will be the new defining orientation for a new Nigeria.
“Like in past cases, Nigerians will survive current challenges. The same way Nigerians outlived military rule, we shall outlive this era of emperors and in 2025 produce a truly democratic political party, which could guarantee internal political competition as foundation for the restoration of national political competition.
“Through political competition, Nigeria shall produce truly democratic leaders in 2027 who will render selfless services to Nigerians, based on which the country can achieve all its national potentials,” Lukman added.
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