Former national Vice Chairman, North West of the All Progressives Congress, Salihu Lukman has cautioned leaders of the party to stop the narrative of demonizing President Bola Tinubu’s immediate predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari for the economic and security challenges Nigerians are contending with.
Lukman in a statement issued on Friday, “APC and Question of Liability: Open Letter to APC Leaders,” declared that those indulging in the blame game were accomplices who were around the former President during his administration.
Lukman particularly cited recent remarks by former national chairman of the APC, Senator Adams Oshiomhole; Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun and the sitting National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu amongst those who in recent times had cast aspersion on the stewardship of Muhammadu Buhari.
He maintained that rather than blame Buhari, the APC leaders must own up to the fact that they have all failed Nigerians.
His statement reads in part: “Sadly, instead of ruling with humility and reviewing policies when there is public outcry, they are grandstanding and giving excuses. They engage in the familiar blame games, attributing the consequences of government policies to the administration of former President Buhari. This is very uncharitable and dishonest, with due respect to our leaders.
“Certainly, the government of Buhari did not measure up to the expectations of party members and Nigerians in general. But we must take responsibility. The truth is that the success or failure of Buhari’s government represents the collective success or failure of APC as a party.
“All of us in the leadership of the APC, including Tinubu, were complicit in one way or the other to all the circumstances that contributed to the failure of Buhari.
“Unfortunately, as things are, we are also strengthening the hands of Asiwaju to continue the path of failure. Just like we deluded Buhari into believing that every decision he took was right, our leaders are today misleading Tinubu to believe that all his decisions are right. Our leaders, including Comrade Oshiomhole, want us to believe that the past administration created the problem.
“If that is the case, why were they unable as party leaders to regulate the conduct of former President Buhari and prevent him from failing? Now that President Asiwaju Tinubu is in charge, what is being done to address this challenge and ensure that he does not suffer the fate of his predecessor?”
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE