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By Myke Agunwa
As Nigerians continue to mourn the exit of former President, Muhammadu Buhari, a strong voice in the mega coalition anchored by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Malam Salihu Lukman, has said that the death of former President will make it possible for the coalition to take over power in 2027.
He however lamented that the death of the former president has ended an era of a political figure with an intimidating profile capable of ensuring electoral success.
Lukman, who spoke on Wednesday during in Abuja urged ADC leaders to be united, build a strong team spirit and a strong political party that will not only defeat the ruling party but capable of rescuing Nigerians from the current challenges.
The former member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), however, argued that even before late President Buhari died, the vacuum had been created, stressing that it was doubtful if before death, Buhari could influence electoral victory in the old way.
“What we must learn, most especially in the coalition is that we don’t have somebody with the kind of intimidating profile like that of late Buhari and what that means is that all the leaders of coalition need to be humble and acknowledge that they need one another and in the context of that, develop a strong team work. I think that is the challenge we are all facing. Our leaders must have a kind of team spirit.
“It is not about succeeding to defeat APC and Tinubu but succeeeding to produce a new, fresh political template that will begin to meet the expectations of Nigerians. That is what I have been emphasizing on. We must try to build a strong political party.”
The former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), urged all politicians to be humble, ensure fulfillment of campaign promises and negotiate good relationship with citizens.
Lukman recalled that most people aspired for positions, instead of going to negotiate good relationship with citizens so that good relationship translate into votes, concentrated more in terms of being in his (Buhari’s) good books.
He said, “I am aware, being somebody from the North, I know that many politicians look forward to him raising their hands and endorsing them. That translates almost into victory in many places in the North. And that, in a way, made politicians to be lazy.
“Now we don’t have any figure like that, which is why today I am one of those in the coalition who keeps raising the point that leaders of the coalition must remember, we don’t have somebody like late President Buhari anymore, who when he raises your hand, it translates into victory.
“What that means is that politicians must be humble and begin to engage citizens with more listening ears and disposition when they promise and win elections to begin to meet those expectations of citizens.
“And we have to work hard. The challenge of having somebody like late President Buhari now absent in Nigerian politics is that politicians must realize, especially those who want to contest election, if they are to win election, except if they want to rig, they must be humble and relate to citizens with higher level of humility rather than the current arrogance.”
In his tribute, Lukman, described the late Buhari as a great politician “in contemporary Nigeria, I wouldn’t say in all of our history, he stands out as one of those politicians who command a lot of popularity. And his popularity, especially in the northern part of the country, cannot be in any way doubted. And to a large extent, his popularity made it possible for the APC merger of 2013-2014 to be consummated.”