Why I Resigned As PGF DG, Lukman Speaks

The immediate past Director-General of Progressive Governors’ Forum, Salihu Lukman has revealed why he decided to resign from his position.

Lukman, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said he resigned due to the failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership to tolerate criticism and be democratic.

He advised the APC to ensure that the new executives that will be elected at the national convention will take criticism and not be dictatorial or show tyrannic posture.

The APC chieftain stated that another reason he left his position was to continue to freely hold the party accountable to the principles of internal democracy.

He said, “I can confirm that it is true I have given my resignation to Forum Chairman, His Excellency Abubakar Atiku Bagudu. I restrained myself from making any public statement on the matter because I am still awaiting acceptance.

“I have privately responded to many enquiries from party leaders, friends, family members and clarified that it is true that my decision to resign my position is to enable me to continue with the campaign to return APC to its founding vision, which is to build a party that is not only democratic but oriented based on social democratic principles.”

Lukman disclosed that before the 2019 elections, some party chieftains in their bid to become candidates of the party became tyrants and caused a crisis in the party.

He added that these party stalwarts resisted every form of resolution and reconciliation, adding that organs of the party stopped meetings while party leaders became decision-makers.

He added: “Some party leaders in the bid to emerge as candidates of the party for offices became hostile. Party campaign drifted to almost war situations in many instances. Organs of the party stop meetings as required by the constitution. Views of party leaders became decisions of the party.

“Thank God, we have a leader in President Muhammadu Buhari who disagreed with what is going on in the party and support the campaign for reform. Without going into all the details, the inspiration to setup the current Caretaker Committee came from President Buhari based on the expectation of ensuring that the drift in the party is arrested. This is expected to produce a new leadership, which should emerge at the party’s National Convention. Once the Caretaker Committee began to show sign of reluctance to organise the Convention, it should be a source of concern to all party members desirous of reform.”

Lukman revealed that many party leaders and members called him since the news of his resignation, adding that he will continue to offer his advice to the party.

He stated that the national leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu has urged him to continue his campaign to return APC to its founding vision and reform the party.

Lukman said Tinubu expressed shock that some governors were intolerant to criticism, adding that such persons are not democrats and shouldn’t be associated with a party envisioned to be progressive.

He said: “One of the party leaders who honoured me with an invitation to meet him late on Tuesday, January 17, 2022, was Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He commended me for championing the campaigns to reform the party and expressed shock that some members of Forum were intolerant to criticism.

“He argued that any party leader who will not accommodate critical opinion on fundamental issue such as respecting decisions and especially a matter as sensitive as organising the National Convention, which is the highest organ of the party, such a person is not a democrat and shouldn’t be associated with a party envisioned to be progressive such as the APC.

“With these words, he encouraged me to continue with my campaign, which is what the party needs. He declared his support to all decisions of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that APC Convention holds in February 2022.”