Salihu Lukman, a former national vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has declared that he no longer has confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, expressing doubts that the president can achieve any meaningful progress before the end of his term in May 2027.
Lukman made the comments while appearing as a guest on the Sunday edition of Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television.
He stated that he has come to realise that Tinubu is not the progressive leader he once believed him to be, highlighting a contrast between Tinubu’s current governance style and his time as Lagos State governor from 1999 to 2007.
“For you to even expect something very wonderful to happen before May 2027, I will say you are a dreamer, I will wish you luck in your dream, but if it happens, it will be a pleasant surprise,” Lukman said.
“For me, I have reached the conclusion that I don’t think anything good is going to come out and which is why we have to start organising. I have said so, this country can be fixed in our lifetime, and I pray to God to give us the strength and courage to engage our leaders.”
Lukman revealed that he maintained support for Tinubu until July 2023 before eventually withdrawing it. He lamented that the President has insulated himself even within the party, leaving many, including key APC members, without access to him.
He added that he had initially been almost certain Tinubu would address the shortcomings of his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, but instead, Tinubu’s failures have, in his view, made Buhari “appear like a hero.”
Lukman emphasised that the shortcomings of the APC have created a need for a new political coalition, one that must be built on a solid foundation.
“If having gone through the APC and failed, we now organise another coalition that will become business as usual, which is why this initial negotiation we are really engaging ourselves. So, we really have to, we owe it to Nigerians, and I am telling Nigerians that look, it is possible to fix this country in our lifetime,” he said.
