Lukman resigns as APC vice chair

• Says atmosphere in party at variance with founding fathers’ vision

The national vice chairman (North West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has resigned. 

Lukman, a member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC), in a letter addressed to the party’s acting national chairman, Senator Abubakar Kyari, yesterday said he resigned because of his conviction that the atmosphere in the party was at variance with the vision of its founding fathers. 

He was one of the strong voices that led to the recent resignation of the party’s national chairman and secretary, Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore respectively, as he had consistently criticised them for allegedly not running the APC in line with the provisions of its constitution.

The letter reads in part, “I hereby kindly resign my position as National Vice Chairman, North West, of our great party, APC.

“My resignation is with immediate effect, which becomes necessary given my conviction that the atmosphere in the party is completely at variance with the founding vision of forming a progressive party. 

“Rather than remaining in the leadership of the party and becoming a source of distraction for leaders and especially for the young government of President Asiwaiu 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 sincere gratitude to our leaders in Kaduna, especially Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, for finding me worthy of nomination to serve at the highest  of the party’s leadership.”