The leadership crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), deepened on Wednesday as the National Vice Chairman, Northwest, Salihu Mohammed Lukman announced his resignation.
This is coming just about a week after the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore, on Monday, July 17, resigned as members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Lukman, in a letter addressed to the Acting National Chairman of the party, Abubakar Kyari, blamed President Bola Tinubu for the way he’s handling the affairs of the party noting it is at variance with his core values.
His resignation may not be unconnected to reports that President Tinubu has accepted former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje as the next National Chairman of the party.
This is despite protest within the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee members of the party who alongside strong stakeholders have warned against upsetting the current zoning arrangement.
Ganduje is from the Northwest while the position which was vacated by Abdullahi Adamu is meant for the Northcentral.
Lukman has been critical of the move to appoint former governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as the next national chairman of APC.
In a resignation letter signed Wednesday, July 26, 2033, Lukman said he will remain a member of the party with the hope that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will retract from acts that will be unjust and illegal.
The letter appreciated the APC leaders in Kaduna, especially former governor Nasir el-Rufai and others.
The letter reads: “I hereby kindly resign my position as National Vice Chairman, North-West of our great party. All Progressives Congress (APC).
“My resignation is with immediate effect, which become necessary given my conviction that the atmosphere in the party is complecely at variance with the founding vision of forming a progressive party.
“Racher than remaining in the leadership of the party and become a source of distraction for leaders and especially for the young government of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it is better to excuse myself and take time off from politics.
“I will, however retain my membership of the party in the hope that our leaders, especially President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will retract from acts that will be unjust and illegal, which is crucial to any claim of being democratic or progressive whether as politicians or as patriotic Nigerians.
“I wish to convey my sincerely gracitude to our leaders in Kaduna, especially Mallam Nasir Ahmad Ei-Rufai for finding me worthy of nomination to serve at the highest level of the party’s leadership. I do hope all our leaders will appreciate that I am left with no option in the circumstance.
“I wish the party and all our leaders, especially President Asiwaju Bold Ahmed Tinubu all the best and will continue to give my modest support towards the success of the party from the background.”
