Politics
‘El-Rufai forced me out’ – Salihu Lukman quits ADC coalition
One of the leading figures of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has suspended his membership of the party and the opposition coalition, directly accusing former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, of orchestrating the hostile treatment and political marginalisation that forced him to quit.
In a message addressed to the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, and copied to coalition leaders, Lukman explained that his decision followed months of what he described as sustained hostility from El-Rufai and his political associates over the leadership and direction of the party in Kaduna State.
According to him, “This may come to you as a disappointment. I am very sorry. I just can’t continue to bear the painful hostile treatment I keep getting from some leaders from Kaduna, especially Mallam Nasir.”
He claimed that he had been reduced “to the status of a bastard” within a coalition he had worked hard to build, alleging that decisions concerning leadership representation in Kaduna were being manipulated to sideline him.
The development is likely to heighten concerns over the alliance’s internal cohesion, particularly in Kaduna, a state considered strategically important to the coalition’s electoral calculations. It marks one of the most serious public cracks within the ADC-led opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Lukman, a former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said he had devoted more than a year to reconciling and uniting opposition leaders in Kaduna, only to become the target of what he described as an orchestrated campaign led by El-Rufai and his supporters.
He explained, “For Mallam Nasir and his people, I am the problem. I have decided to resolve the problem for them and everyone.”
He announced the suspension of both his ADC and coalition memberships, saying it was preferable “to be inactive than to continue to chase dashed expectations.”
Lukman also questioned the coalition’s commitment to democratic values, accusing some of its leaders of reproducing the same political practices they had once criticised. He said that for many coalition leaders, “the objective of rescuing the democracy is just about allowing them to have their way, even when their actions reproduce the old habits that destroyed our former parties.”
He further alleged that former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, was reaching out to individuals in Kaduna whose commitment to building the ADC was questionable, while disregarding the views of those who had invested in strengthening the party’s structures.
He stated that “whatever he wants to do with them is certainly not about building the party into a strong democratic party,” stressing that the developments had steadily diminished his confidence in the coalition and reduced the ADC to what he described as “a marginal participant” in preparations for the 2027 elections.
Lukman expressed gratitude to Senator David Mark and other national leaders of the coalition, insisting that his action was not a protest against the party’s national leadership but against what he described as the disdainful treatment meted out to him by El-Rufai and a small group of coalition leaders in Kaduna.
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Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress, APC, 2027 governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, has said he has never met or talked to his running mate, Damilola Sonayon-James, before the party chose her for the role.
Hamzat shared this revelation during the public showing of “Who Is She?” At the Syrian Club Event Centre in Ikoyi area of the state.
He said that the choice of his deputy governorship candidate was made after discussions within the Lagos APC, following President Bola Tinubu’s request for the state chapter to select the candidate.
Hazmat said he suggested that the running mate should be a young woman, and the President agreed with that idea.
According to Hamzat, the president called and suggested that the matter be resolved.
He said: “The president called me and said, ‘You guys go and sort it out.’ I said, ‘Sir, I think it should be a female.’ He said, ‘It’s okay.’ I said, ‘It should be young.’ He said, ‘It’s okay.”
The APC governorship candidate said the party also took into account the state’s zoning plan when making their decision.
He said since he hails from Lagos East and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is from Lagos Central, people expected the deputy governor position to go to Lagos West.
Hamzat said he didn’t have a personal connection with Sonayon-James before she became the party’s deputy governorship candidate.
“Until Damilola was chosen, I didn’t know her phone number. I got her phone number from somebody,” he said.
He said that Sonayon-James, who is the deputy woman leader of the Lagos APC and comes from Badagry, was picked based on her abilities.
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The Taminu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has hinted at the real reason behind court ruling in favour of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike’s camp.
It claimed that ‘politics of power, money and greed’ may have influenced the decision of the Federal High Court to strike out its suit seeking the recognition of its leadership.
This is contained in a statement by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, on Friday.
According to the spokesperson, the ruling was disappointing, stating that political interests may have influenced the the verdict of the court.
While saying they they respected the court, Ememobong said the did not agree with its ruling, stressing that the court’s decision was not in accordance with previous judgments of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
“While we respect the judgment of the trial court, we respectfully consider that it is against the extant judgments of the Appeal and apex courts, leaving the plaintiffs with no option but to appeal the judgment and the rulings therein,” the party said.
The PDP faction further revealed that they had already instructed their lawyers to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
It expressed the optimism that as they take the case to the Appeal Court, the survival of true opposition and multi-party democracy will be assured and they will get their victory.
According to the party, the politics of power, money and greed may last for a while, expressing the certainty of victory regardless of the judgment by the Federal High Court.
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Nigerian businessman, Isaac Fayose, says he had a telephone conversation with the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi shortly after his recent threat to dump the Obidient Movement.
DAILY POST recalls that Fayose had while reacting to the backlash that followed a viral video showing him praying with President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, said Obi never appreciated his efforts.
The public affairs commentator in a video clip that was widely circulated on Friday, threatened that he could withdraw his support for Peter Obi, if he chooses.
However, in a video posted on his Facebook fan page on Friday night, Fayose confirmed that he had a telephone conversation with the NDC candidate, stating that he is “one million percent Obidient”.
He said, “Four hours ago, my leader, Peter Obi called me. His Excellency said “sorry about your wife. I’m in Lagos tonight or tomorrow morning, I will be in your house”.
“I love Tinubu’s family but Nigeria belongs to Nigerians and they are saying enough is enough. It’s time for change”.
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