Salihu Lukman, a former national vice-chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says his new party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), will not replicate what he described as the broken promises and disappointments associated with the APC.

Speaking during an interview on The Morning Brief on Channels Television, Lukman said the APC had failed to live up to its campaign promises and betrayed the expectations of Nigerians.

“We made all manner of promises and ended up becoming a disappointment. We don’t want to repeat those kinds of experiences,” Lukman said, reflecting on his role as one of the founding members of the APC.

He accused the party’s leadership of drifting into authoritarianism after coming to power, adding that the culture of internal democracy and accountability has eroded under the current APC structure.

“Coming from the APC, we trusted leaders and they ended up becoming emperors,” he said.

“Look at APC today. Everywhere you turn, it’s ‘on your mandate, on your mandate’. I’m not going to stand on anybody’s mandate.”

Lukman said the ADC is forming a coalition that will emphasise transparency and internal democracy, promising a departure from what he described as the personalised style of leadership in the ruling party.

“I want someone who will subordinate himself to the party and always seek clearance from members to know if they’re doing the right thing,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to be cautious in their support for political leaders, warning against the culture of blind loyalty that often fosters entitlement and arrogance.

“As Nigerians, we must resist the temptation of setting up leaders who believe it’s either them or nothing,” he said. “It’s not about trusting leaders—they must earn trust. The best way to do that is through humility and
respect for party members.”

Lukman added that the APC squandered a historic opportunity to transform the country and reiterated his commitment to building a more accountable political alternative through the ADC.