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A former National Vice Chairman, Northwest, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has accused President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, of undermining the independence of the highest law-making institution in the country.
Lukman alleged that Akpabio has reduced the Senate to a mere parastatal under the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government.
His criticisms followed the sack of Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, as the Chief Whip of the Senate by the Abdullahi Ganduje-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
He was removed on the floor on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, and replaced with Senator representing Borno North, Senator Mohammed Monguno.
Ndume's sacking is connected to his recent criticisms of Tinubu.
Lukman slams APC and Akpabio
Reacting in a statement on Thursday titled “Fanatical Mindset,” Lukman urged all patriotic Nigerians to wake up to the responsibility of rescuing the country.
The former Director General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) questioned how democracy can thrive in Nigeria when leaders are intolerant of dissenting voices.
He said the citizens should rise against the attempts by the so-called leaders of the ruling party to behave like military officials in tribunals who operate with the fanatical mindset of condemning everyone accused of wrongdoing without the benefit of a fair hearing.
He called on opposition leaders to unite and build a strong political force to rescue Nigerian democracy, welcoming Ndume to join such efforts.
In conclusion, Lukman noted that patriotic Nigerians must ensure APC's defeat in 2027 since the party has decided to continue on a self-destructive path.
The statement partly reads, “It is quite interesting that Dr. Ganduje and Sen. Basiru could ask Sen. Ndume to ‘honourably resign the membership of APC and join any opposition party of his choice formally’. Already, with non-functioning organs, the APC has basically dismissed all its members.
“Nowhere in the Constitution of APC where the National Chairman, National Secretary, or any official, or even the National Working Committee is given the powers to summarily remove any principal officer of the National Assembly.
“It is a shame that the APC Senate Caucus will permit such an act of illegality. By so doing, they have set a precedence that will further erode the independence of the National Assembly.
“Already, with the way Sen. Godswill Akpabio has been conducting himself almost reducing the Senate Chamber to the status of a parastatal of government, the action of the APC under the leadership of Dr Ganduje to direct removal of principal officers for criticizing President Tinubu’s government highlights the fanatical mindset undermining Nigerian democracy.
“Any democracy that cannot accommodate criticisms is no democracy. A democracy that subverts fair hearing is a dictatorship. A democracy that permits a ruling party to demobilise its organs and inadvertently expels its members is worse than a military government.
"All patriotic Nigerian political leaders must unite to restore Nigeria’s democracy. Nigerian opposition leaders must unite to build a truly strong political party to rebuild Nigerian democracy. All our opposition leaders and orphaned leaders of APC must come together and unite. Sen. Ndume being the newest APC orphan is welcome to join the efforts of political leaders in the country to restore and rebuild our democracy.
“So long as APC, its leadership and Asiwaju Tinubu’s government have taken the self-destructive path, which is equivalent to a declaration of working to end their tenure in 2027, patriotic Nigerians must help them to ensure their defeat in 2027!”