An arrowhead of the coalition in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mallam Salihu Lukman, says none of their members has the intimidating profile of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Lukman, in an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, argued that the passing of Buhari should serve as a reminder to those entrusted with the leadership of the country to fulfil their responsibilities.

Lukman, who resigned his position as National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) last year, called on all leaders in the ADC coalition to be united, build a strong team spirit and a strong political party that will not only defeat the APC but also rescue Nigerians from the current woes.

The Kaduna-born politician remarked that it was doubtful whether Buhari could influence electoral victory for any person or political party as he did prior to the 2015 election.

“What we must learn, most especially in the coalition, is that we don’t have somebody with the kind of intimidating profile like that of late Buhari and what that means is that all the leaders of coalition needs to be humble and acknowledge that they need one another and in the context of that, develop a strong team work. I think that is the challenge we are all facing. Our leaders must have a kind of team spirit.

“It is not about succeeding in defeating APC and Tinubu but succeeding in producing a new, fresh political template that will begin to meet the expectations of Nigerians. That is what I have been emphasising. We must try to build a strong political party,” he said.

Mallam Lukman said that, henceforth, politicians must be humble, fulfil campaign promises, and maintain a good relationship with citizens.

Speaking on Tuesday evening about the passing of former President Buhari on Channels Television’s popular programme, Politics Today, Lukman said that most leaders abandoned the task of relating to citizens to be in the former leader’s good books.

He said: “I am aware, being somebody from the North, I know that many politicians look forward to him raising their hands and endorsing them. That translates almost into victory in many places in the North. And that, in a way, made politicians lazy.

“Now we don’t have any figure like that, which is why today I am one of those in the coalition who keeps raising the point that leaders of the coalition must remember, we don’t have somebody like late President Buhari anymore, who, when he raises your hand, it translates into victory.

“What that means is that politicians must be humble and begin to engage citizens with more listening ears and a disposition when they promise and win an election to begin to meet those expectations of citizens.

“And we have to work hard. The challenge of having somebody like late President Buhari now absent in Nigerian politics is that politicians must realise, especially those who want to contest elections, if they are to win elections, except if they want to rig, they must be humble and relate to citizens with a higher level of humility rather than the current arrogance.”

Lukman acknowledged that Buhari stood out as one of the politicians who commanded a lot of popularity, especially in the northern part of the country, which made it possible for the APC merger of 2013-2014 to be successfully consummated.