Salihu Lukman Criticizes Ndume’s Sack, Questions Tinubu’s Commitment to Democracy

A former National Vice Chairman North-west of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has stated that the removal of Senator Ali Ndume as the Chief Whip of the Senate and his expulsion from the party indicates President Bola Tinubu’s intention to serve only one term in office.

On Wednesday, Ndume was replaced by Senator Tahir Monguno as Chief Whip following a directive from the APC Caucus in the Senate.

The directive, contained in a letter signed by APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and National Secretary Senator Basiru Ajibola, cited Ndume’s alleged rabid outbursts against the president as the reason for his removal.

In a statement issued Thursday titled “Fanatical Mindset,” Lukman lamented the suppression of free speech in the country, comparing the current situation to the Abacha era, or even worse.

He criticized the threat to personal liberties, the lack of fair hearing, and described the current state as a democracy without democrats.

Lukman argued that the APC Constitution does not grant the National Chairman, National Secretary, or any official the power to summarily remove any principal officer of the National Assembly.

He condemned the APC Senate Caucus for permitting such an act of illegality, warning that it sets a precedent that undermines the independence of the National Assembly.

“The way things are, it is almost as if President Asiwaju Tinubu has resolved that he will only be a one-term President,” Lukman said. “Under his watch, the living conditions of Nigerians are continuously getting worse.

Instead of making efforts to develop clear plans to address the situation, the government is becoming more intolerant of criticism.

“Any democracy that cannot accommodate criticism is no democracy.

A democracy that subverts fair hearing is a dictatorship. A democracy that permits a ruling party to demobilize its organs and inadvertently expels its members is worse than a military government.”

He added, “So long as APC, its leadership, and Asiwaju Tinubu’s government have taken the self-destructive path, which is equivalent to a declaration of working to end their tenure in 2027, patriotic Nigerians must help them to ensure their defeat in 2027!”