The Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum, Salihu Lukman,
has lashed out at the National Chairman of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, and other leaders of the party of
failing to discharge their responsibilities, stating that the party
chairman must not enforce his inconsiderate of options attitude in the
forthcoming Kogi, Edo governorship elections.
In a letter dated August 6 and titled, “APC: Appeal for Reconciliation,”
and addressed to Oshiomhole, Lukman queried why superior organs of the
party had not been meeting and also questioned the capacity of the
former Edo governor to lead the ruling party.
The APC Governors Forum Director General cited the losses of the party
in the just concluded General Elections in some states, the suspension
of some key members, and possibility of defeat in the coming elections
in some states.
He said: “We had challenges that deprived our party the opportunity to
contest 2019 election in Rivers, stripped our party of electoral victory
in Zamfara, engendered highest levels of leadership animosities in Imo,
Ogun, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kano, Ondo, Oyo, etc. Today, with Kogi and Edo
elections approaching similar leadership animosities are defining
political life of the party in those states.
“My distant observation is that there is hardly any difference between
your approach in managing the party and the way Chief Oyegun had managed
it during his tenure. Instead, things have really got worse and
painfully, it would appear, you are in denial of this reality,” he
stated.
The Progressives Governors Forum has as members state governors elected
under the platform of the APC.
According to him, the internal wrangling in APC resulted in the
suspension of three serving governors (two of them now senators) and two
members of National Working Committee (NWC) in the build up to the 2019
general election.
He disclosed that he had earlier made efforts to draw Oshiomhole’s
attention to the growing problems in the party, but said the move was
rebuffed.
“Kindly recall that sometime in June this year (2019), I sent what I
called a private memo on the issues of reported disciplinary actions
against Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State by the NWC.
“Of course, the memo noted that before the 2019 elections, the NWC had
similarly suspended former Governors Rochas Okorocha and Ibikunle Amosun
of Imo and Ogun states respectively. Between June and now, Senator Lawal
Shuaibu, APC Deputy National Chairman, North and Alhaji Inuwa
Abdulkadir, APC Vice National Chairman (North-West) have also been
similarly suspended.
“It would appear that the leadership problems facing the party are
getting deeper and in the circumstances the business of building the
party will be sacrificed.
“Since emerging as the National Chairman of our party, I have had cause
to review decisions and actions you have taken as the National Chairman
and often I have difficulty reconciling many of the decisions and
actions you took with the leadership standards you upheld.
“It is a painful reality that we have found ourselves in situation of
near stalemate in many states under your leadership. Embarrassingly, our
leaders, including your very self, appear to be stubbornly inconsiderate
of other options of resolving these challenges.
“If the electoral loss of Oyo, Imo, Zamfara, Adamawa and Bauchi are not
a wakeup call to the dangers that lie ahead, what could have been! Is it
that our leaders are indifferent to the possible return of People’s
Democratic Party (PDP)?” he queried.
The Progressive Governors Forum DG added: “In all my years of
association with you, I never imagine that one day you will be so
comfortable as to be indifferent to challenges that could threaten our
national democratic development.”