What APC Must Do To Avoid Defeat In 2027 – Lukman

A former National Vice Chairman, (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has called for reforms in the party ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.

Lukman said if the APC is not reformed, then the party risks suffering the same fate that befell the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which led to its defeat in the 2015 elections.

He made the call in a statement titled, “Wither Nigerian Democracy: Urgency of Rebuilding Political Parties” in Abuja on Sunday, April 14.

He lamented that the APC has drifted away from the ideals and policies of its founding fathers and the reform is necessary not only for the party, but for Nigeria’s democracy.

“The whole issue of activating all party structures and making them functional in line with provisions of the APC Constitution must be guaranteed. Once APC, being the ruling party, can operate based on the provisions of its constitution can be guaranteed, the campaign to reform Nigerian politics and expand democratic space will be made much easier.

“If organs of the party are meeting regularly, problems of impositions of candidates will be minimised. In any case, issues leading to the imposition of candidates are made possible and stronger because the organs of the party vested with the responsibility of decisions regarding party primary are undermined.

“Consequently, party stakeholders who should have a say in decisions that can guarantee free and fair primary are marginalised. As much as party organs are meeting as prescribed by the party Constitution, incidences of imposition will be minimised,” he said.

The former member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) added that there was no reason why the ruling party could not operate a National Annual Budget of over N100 Billion.

He argued that the national budget should cover the operations of all party organs, from National to States, Local Governments and Wards.

“Note that the National Annual Budget should cover the operations of all party organs, from National to States, Local Governments and Wards. It is only when a ruling party can operate a National Annual Budget of more than N100 Billion that the condition of service for party leaders at all levels can be benchmarked with public service conditions.

“So long as conditions of service for party leaders is below that of public service, party leaders will continue to subordinate themselves to elected leaders and capacity to hold elected representatives accountable to the party will be weak,” Lukman argued in his statement.

The APC chieftain urged party leaders, including President Bola Tinubu, to consider his proposals for internal reforms.

He said: “I strongly believe that reforming the APC and making all organs of the party functional, resolving challenges of party funding, operating an Annual National Budget of more N100 Billion and benchmarking conditions of service of party leaders at all levels with public service conditions, combined, would deepen Nigerian democracy, return APC to its founding vision of emerging as a progressive party.

“Achieving this when the next general election is more than three years away, would confer stronger electoral advantages to the APC. For other parties, to effectively compete against the APC, they will need to be equally reformists and not conformist.”