‘It Is Time For Peter Obi, Atiku, Kwankwaso, Others To Reform Democracy’ – Salihu Lukman

A former National Vice Chairman North-West of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has expressed deep concern over what he describes as the government’s excessive spending under President Bola Tinubu, despite widespread hunger and poverty in the country.

In a statement issued on Sunday titled, “#EndBadGovernance Campaign: What Next?”, Lukman lamented that the Tinubu administration appears to be on a “roller coaster of aggrandized spendings” while millions of Nigerians struggle with economic hardship.

He argued that this misalignment of priorities is partly responsible for the volatile situation currently gripping the nation.

Lukman urged all committed democrats in Nigeria to rise to the challenge and work towards mobilizing citizens to channel their frustrations in a constructive manner.

“Every committed democrat in the country must wake up to this challenge and seek to mobilise Nigerians to direct their anger creatively and positively towards the reformation of democratic structures in the country,” he stated.

He said, “As it is, the President Asiwaju Tinubu’s administration seems to be on a roller coaster of aggrandised spendings amid mass hunger and poverty in the country, which is partly responsible for the highly volatile situation in the country.

“Every committed democrat in the country must wake up to this challenge and seek to mobilise Nigerians to direct their anger creatively and positively towards reformation of democratic structures in the country.

“This is the point when ideally, opposition leaders such as Alh. Atiku Abubakar, Mr. Peter Obi and Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso should step forward to provide the needed leadership to reform our democracy and ensure the emergence of a functional political party capable of rescuing Nigeria.

“In addition to opposition leaders, other political leaders in APC who have been edged out of the party should join forces with opposition leaders to rescue the country and put Nigeria back on the path of democratic development.

“These leaders include Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Sen. Ibukunle Amosun, Mal. Nasir El-Rufai, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and many others.

“While acknowledging that there are already unfolding initiatives in this direction, the rising anger in the country must be utilised and directed to strengthen the emergence of a veritable functional political party different from APC, PDP, LP and NNPP. As it is, it must be acknowledged that these parties cannot serve as the platforms to rescue Nigeria from its current unfortunate self-inflicted downward spiral producing mass poverty and starvation.”