A former national vice chairman, North West of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has accused President Bola Tinubu of engaging in illusive politics which has reduced citizens, party leaders and members to distant observers.
Lukman said Tinubu’s government is creating doubts in the minds of Nigerians about the prospect of resolving the country’s challenges with incidences of policy missteps and reversals.
The APC chieftain, in a statement issued in Abuja, also observed that after one year in office, the president’s missteps have caused the insecurity crisis to persist, adding that the problems of inflation, unemployment and poverty are on the increase.
“Politically, the APC has continued to follow the track of being disrespectful to its own rules so much so that we have shamelessly produced a serving Governor who is using his immunity to block law enforcement officials from undertaking their responsibility to investigate corruption allegations against his predecessor.
“The bigger disappointment is the troubling reality whereby political mercenaries who fought against President Asiwaju Tinubu’s election during the 2023 elections are now his strongest allies with free access and party loyalists who campaigned and stood by him have been denied access and are being held in contempt.
“The other reality is whether the tenure of President Asiwaju Tinubu will continue moving in the path of illusive politics based on which Nigerians, inclusive of APC leaders and members, will remain distant observers, unable to influence decisions and directions of the President Asiwaju Tinubu’s government,” he said.
Lukman added that Tinubu’s body language is disrespectful and contemptuous to many party leaders and members, especially those that are outspoken and critical of his decisions.
The former director general of Progressives Governors’ Forum said, so long as this remains the case, the prospect of returning APC to its founding vision and engendering progressive governance will be weak.
“Inability to return APC to its founding vision and failure to engender progressive governance could mean inability to positively grab the opportunity, which democracy presents. This could also mean that the crisis of insecurity, unemployment, poverty, etc. could remain with us and become worse.
“Given all these danger signals, it is important that APC leaders and members who are truly committed to developing Nigerian democracy based on progressive principles take up the challenge of organising themselves to reverse the current decline towards illusive politics in the country.
“Just like Nigerians were able to confront military rulers and PDP leaders when they trampled on the rights and freedoms of citizens, if APC leaders tow the same path, it is incumbent on all true progressives and patriots to organise themselves and arrest any further drift towards illusive politics.
“However, first thing first, the message must be communicated in unmistaken terms that President Asiwaju Tinubu should come clean and truly demonstrate that he is indeed both a democrat and a progressive politician by initiating deeper political reforms of both the APC and all governments controlled by the APC at all levels.
“If truly President Asiwaju Tinubu is a democrat and a progressive politician, the current lawless disposition of APC leaders must be ended. Also, inattentive conduct of President Asiwaju Tinubu, which hold APC leaders and members in contempt must change,” he added.
