Salihu Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman North-west of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stated that the removal of Senator Ali Ndume as Chief Whip of the Senate and his expulsion from the party suggests that President Bola Tinubu intends to serve only one term. On Wednesday, Ndume was dismissed from his position and replaced by Senator Tahir Monguno, following a directive from the APC Caucus in the Senate. This directive was based on a letter signed by APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and National Secretary Senator Basiru Ajibola, citing Ndume’s alleged hostile remarks against the president.
In a statement issued on Thursday titled “Fanatical Mindset,” Lukman criticized the current suppression of free speech in Nigeria, likening it to the Abacha era or worse. He expressed concern that personal liberties are under threat and that fair hearings are no longer assured, leading to a situation of “democracy without democrats.”
Lukman argued that the APC Constitution does not grant the National Chairman, National Secretary, or any official, including the National Working Committee, the authority to unilaterally remove a principal officer of the National Assembly. He condemned the APC Senate Caucus for allowing such illegality, warning that it sets a dangerous precedent undermining the National Assembly’s independence.
Lukman commented, “The current situation makes it seem as if President Asiwaju Tinubu has decided to only serve one term. Under his leadership, Nigerians’ living conditions continue to deteriorate. Instead of creating plans to address this, the government is becoming less tolerant of criticism.
“Any democracy that cannot tolerate criticism is no democracy at all. A democracy that denies fair hearing is a dictatorship. A democracy that allows the ruling party to incapacitate its structures and expel its members is worse than a military regime.”
Lukman concluded, “As long as the APC, its leadership, and Asiwaju Tinubu’s government continue on this self-destructive path, which essentially means ending their tenure in 2027, patriotic Nigerians must work to ensure their defeat in 2027!”