Salihu Moh. Lukman, the former National Vice Chairman, Northwest, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has called on former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, as well as retired General Aliyu Gusau, to strategize on methods that could potentially dislodge the APC from power in the upcoming 2027 elections.
He expressed that Nigerians are currently facing an existential crisis, as the country’s democracy is metaphorically in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Lukman believes that decisive action is needed to revive democratic structures and restore political competition in the nation's political landscape.
Lukman, in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja, was reacting to recent media reports surrounding the meeting that took place on Sunday between Obasanjo, Babangida, and Gusau in Minna, Niger State. The gathering has raised questions about the intentions of these influential figures.
Lukman specifically reflected on the events of August 13, 2024, when the National Council of State held a meeting and passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Notably absent from that meeting were both Obasanjo and Babangida, which Lukman found significant in light of the recent developments. He pondered whether their absence from the August meeting and their recent gathering in Minna could signal dissent against the endorsement given to Tinubu’s government.
Lukman acknowledged that both Obasanjo and Babangida had, in their own ways, contributed to Nigeria’s current state of affairs. However, he emphasized that despite this, they still had a duty to help lead the country out of its current crisis. He stated, “Although the interventions of Obasanjo and Babangida in Nigerian politics might have, to an extent, contributed to the messy situation Nigeria finds itself in, they have a responsibility to bring the nation out of the ICU.”
He further argued that many of the political practices that eroded democratic competition within political parties could be traced back to Obasanjo's tenure. Similarly, he noted that the controversial Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) implemented during Babangida’s rule could have served as an inspiration for what he termed as “impulsive and unplanned” policies by the current President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. However, he conceded that Babangida, unlike Tinubu, had shown more balance between compassion and tough policy choices during his tenure.
“To the extent that these leaders contributed to Nigeria's current challenges, they owe it to the country to help get it out of the ICU. The solution lies in their ability to restore and strengthen democratic structures, which depends on creating functional political parties that allow for healthy competition. It’s not enough to merely back a candidate in any registered party,” Lukman said. He emphasized that relying solely on backing a candidate could easily lead to legal challenges orchestrated by Tinubu’s administration and the APC, which could undermine the electoral process.
Lukman warned that producing a candidate, without fixing underlying structural issues in political parties, would not ensure that elected leaders remain committed to fulfilling their campaign promises. “The real challenge lies in ensuring that political parties themselves are strong and functional, with active organs as prescribed by their constitutions. Without this, Nigerian democracy will remain in the ICU,” he said. He also argued that the leadership of political parties must at least be on par with the elected leaders in terms of competence and profile. Otherwise, the imbalance would continue to harm Nigerian democracy.
He urged that if Obasanjo, Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Gusau are truly committed to rescuing Nigeria’s democracy, they must facilitate deeper engagement among opposition political leaders in the country. “Their role is not just to anoint a candidate, but to ensure a strong and competitive political party structure,” Lukman noted.
In a striking comparison, Lukman argued that President Tinubu is less accessible than even Nigeria’s most authoritarian rulers, declaring that the late General Sani Abacha, who led a military regime, was more approachable. “Since President Tinubu took office on May 29, 2023, things have only gotten worse for Nigerians. Even Abacha was more accessible to the public than Tinubu is today,” Lukman said.
He criticized Tinubu’s government for abandoning critical infrastructure projects started by the previous administration, such as the Kaduna-Abuja Road, which has now become increasingly dangerous. He also criticized Tinubu’s decision to embark on a costly new Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project, which lacks budgetary provision. Lukman also expressed disappointment in the government's efforts to tackle insecurity, describing them as a “ceremonial show of shame.”
Lukman concluded his statement by calling for an urgent revival of Nigeria's democratic institutions and warning that, without such reforms, the nation’s democracy would continue to languish in the ICU.
