Former National Vice Chairman for the North-west of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has warned Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state that his tenure is under threat and he could be voted out, along with President Bola Tinubu, in the upcoming elections in three years.
Lukman criticized Governor Sani for targeting his predecessor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, suggesting that this conflict was driven by a larger political agenda linked to the presidency.
The ex-Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) cautioned the governor that the movement to unseat the APC and President Tinubu is gaining momentum and will focus heavily on Kaduna State.
In a letter titled “Issues of Politics and Governance in Kaduna: The Truth,” dated June 13, 2024, and copied to several prominent figures including Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and other political leaders, Lukman expressed concern over Sani’s actions. He emphasized that Governor Sani’s current approach could ultimately backfire.
“I am genuinely concerned for you. The path you are on will eventually harm you. Without Mallam’s support, your rise would have been nearly impossible. The privilege of holding the governor’s office has an expiry date, which, under current circumstances, seems to be within three years. Both you and President Tinubu have shown troubling signs of autocratic tendencies, which, if unchecked, could undo the democratic progress of the past 25 years,” Lukman stated.
He further criticized the governor for sidelining voices of dissent and reducing meetings to mere photo opportunities without addressing substantive issues. Lukman argued that this behavior is symptomatic of the broader dysfunction within the APC, which he claimed fails to uphold democratic principles.
Lukman, addressing Sani as a senior brother, conveyed his frustration with the direction the state and the party are taking. He announced his decision to return to grassroots mobilization for change, emphasizing that unless the APC and its leaders commit to genuine reforms, they will face strong opposition in the 2027 elections.
“I regret that politics is inherently local. Even if you decide to reform, without President Tinubu’s alignment, you will still face significant challenges. The campaign to defeat the APC and President Tinubu is just beginning and will intensify in Kaduna State,” he warned.
Lukman acknowledged El-Rufai’s significant developmental contributions to Kaduna but criticized the handling of the probe against him, calling it a politically motivated move orchestrated by former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Ibrahim Zailani.
He clarified that while he is not opposed to probes in principle, he stands against disorganized investigations without clear objectives. Lukman pointed out that El-Rufai’s loyalty to his associates, despite their flaws, had been both a strength and a weakness. He lamented the rapid deterioration of relationships among El-Rufai’s former associates and attributed part of the state’s leadership issues to Sani’s poor governance over the past year.
Lukman concluded by highlighting that the underlying tensions and the presidency’s covert opposition to El-Rufai were unfortunate and detrimental to the state’s political stability. He noted that El-Rufai’s main shortfall was his failure to foster strong relationships within the state.