2027: Opposition risks repeating 2023 mistakes, Lukman warns

A former All Progressives Congress National Vice-Chairman, Salihu Lukman, has revealed that he suspended his membership of the party out of frustration over what he described as the failure of opposition leaders to unite ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Lukman, who spoke on Arise News’ The Morning Show on Friday, said the opposition risks repeating the mistakes of the 2023 elections if leaders continue to prioritise personal ambitions over building a united platform capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress.

He said although the recent Court of Appeal judgment clearing the ADC and other parties to participate in the 2027 elections was a relief, it did not address the deeper problem confronting the opposition.

He said, “As a Nigerian, I’m not excited by all this development because if you recall, as an advocate of the coalition and the unity of the opposition leaders, when we started about two years ago, the objective was basically two: to get the opposition leaders united, and to also factor the need to build a party that can hold elected leaders accountable.”

Lukman’s comments come about two weeks after he announced the suspension of his membership of the ADC and the opposition coalition, citing frustrations over internal challenges within the party.

In a message addressed to the ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and copied to coalition leaders, Lukman alleged that he had faced sustained hostility and political marginalisation from some party leaders in Kaduna State, particularly former Governor Nasir El-Rufai and his associates.

Lukman expressed concern that the opposition could return to the same approach adopted in 2023 and expect a different outcome.

“As it is today, I think no matter what comes out of the judicial process, we can have a party that can contest the election. But I see us going back to 2023, repeating almost the same things that happened in 2023 and expect miracle to happen,” he said.

He argued that Nigerians were looking for a credible alternative capable of providing accountable leadership amid worsening economic and social challenges.

According to him, the inability of opposition leaders to resolve their differences could strengthen the APC ahead of the next election.

“The hope and expectation is that election will produce competition on the basis of which better new leadership can emerge. So far, as a nation, it seems we are not approaching that at all,” he added.

Lukman further disclosed that he had stepped back from ADC membership because he was frustrated with the direction of events within the opposition space.

“I am not speaking here as an ADC member. In fact, about two weeks ago, out of frustration, I announced suspension of my membership. Because look, we are faced with a serious challenge,” he said.

He, however, stated that he was willing to return to the party if it would contribute to bringing opposition leaders together.

“I am ready to return my membership of ADC on the basis of ensuring that we bring all leaders of ADC back to the negotiation table. ADC is not, I mean, Nigeria is bigger than ADC,” Lukman said.

He stressed that any coalition ahead of 2027 should not be built around individual ambitions but objective criteria that would determine the best candidate capable of defeating the APC.

“It’s not about ADC or NDC or any other party, but people must agree to come and negotiate terms on the basis of which, if it is the ADC candidate that will be adopted, that will be objective criteria that will convince everybody that is the right way to go,” he said.

The ADC chieftain also criticised opposition leaders for failing to present a clear alternative to Nigerians beyond seeking to remove the APC from power.

He said a credible opposition must focus on policies, accountability and mechanisms to ensure elected officials deliver on their promises.

“If we can come and make declarative statements about policy commitment, the extent to which we can get our candidates and when they get elected, accountable and regulated in such a way that they conduct themselves to implement those policies, that is the challenge,” he said.

Lukman added that he and other concerned stakeholders had begun consultations aimed at pushing opposition leaders back to the negotiation table.

“We are doing consultation and within the next one week, we should be able to come out and say, this is how we are proceeding,” he said.

He maintained that the priority should be rescuing the country rather than promoting the personal ambitions of politicians.

“The country is bigger than all of them and we must move forward,” Lukman said.