The former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr Salihu Lukman has penned an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, where he accused the leadership of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of working tirelessly to frustrate the national convention of the party slated for February 26.
Lukman, in the letter titled “APC Convention: Caretaker or Undertaker” made available to journalists on Tuesday, said that every day, the party members wake up with different speculation about either governors will be meeting to decide on zoning or governors are going to be meeting with the President.
Lukman said based on the schedule of the Convention as issued by the CECPC Secretary, Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, on January 19, 2022, the sale of forms to all aspirants was supposed to commence February 14, 2022, adding that as it is, forms are not available anywhere.
He lamented that party members were apprehensive that with less than two weeks to the scheduled convention, preparations are on a very low key.
Lukman noted that the Caretaker Committee, which is expected to open a new democratically vibrant life for the party, facilitate internal party contests and is becoming an undertaker committee working to end every democratic life existing in the party.
The APC chieftain said though the alleged ambition of Buni to emerge as the substantive National Chairman was difficult to believe, however, with the way the leadership of CECPC under his watch is sluggishly handling the organisation of the convention, it gives strong credibility to the speculation.
He said as things are, the Caretaker committee was using sophisticated strategies to force the hands of party leaders, including blackmails and wildcat promises of electoral opportunity, to emerge as candidates of the party for the 2023 elections.
To this end, Lukman called on Buhari to take every urgent step to rescue the party from the “reprehensible leadership” of Buni the same way he rescued the party from the tight-fisted grip of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC).
His words: “The fastest way that can happen is by ensuring that nothing is allowed to prevent the National Convention from holding on February 26, 2022.
“A Caretaker Committee, which is expected to open a new democratically vibrant life for the party, facilitate internal party contests, is more and more becoming an Undertaker Committee working to end every democratic life existing in the party by blocking every internal party contest.”
The party chieftain said the ruling party is faced with a very critical situation, as a party, adding that some leaders of the party, including the leadership of the CECPC, believed they can manipulate every situation to impose their choices on the party without going through the needed processes as established in the constitution of the APC.
Lukman added that the APC can’t be a party of change and overlook situations whereby these very leaders continue to take members and the country back to the dark days when party politics is reduced to the circus of undemocratic practices.
