2027: Lukman warns opposition against reliance on powershift to oust Tinubu

Failed APC politicians regrouping against Tinubu will fail, says Masari

The immediate past National Vice Chairman (North) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has warned politicians of the opposition political parties against relying on the politics of powershift to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 poll.

Meanwhile, former Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, said those who lost political favours in APC in terms of appointments or patronage were the ones teaming up for merger to challenge the party in subsequent elections.

Salihu, in a piece entitled ‘Re: Early Outline of the Permutations for 2027’ made available to The Guardian, yesterday, stressed that the new desirable political leadership required selflessness, which could unite both politicians and citizens in the country in a new direction.

Lukman, a vitriolic critic of Tinubu’s style of leadership, observed that the mindset of most opposition and displaced political leaders was more inclined towards blocking political competition in the country.

Warning against such inclination, he stated: “The truth is that any political leader prioritising the debate about powershift over and above building a strong political party, which can set the rules and enforce it, may only be hiding behind such arguments to impose themselves and perhaps invariably continue the political practice of emperors and dictators.

“Everything must be done to depart from that and create a new political reality in the country. If APC is a failure, we must not allow the ambitions of politicians to hold us captive. The year 2027 presents us with the opportunity to re-orient Nigerian democracy and return it to the path of producing political leaders through competition.”

The Kaduna State-born politician recalled that concerning PDP in 1998 and APC in 2023, Nigeria’s political history showed that it is possible for the struggle to enforce the choice of a presidential candidate to come from a particular section of the country based on recognition of the need for inclusivity and balanced political considerations.

MASARI, at the inauguration of the campaign for the state’s local council election scheduled for February 15, said, “Their attempt to form an alliance will not divert the attention of APC from conceiving and implementing programmes that could assuage the pains of the common man.”

According to Masari, who was Speaker of the House of Representatives, there is no credible alternative to the APC administration in salvaging the plight of Nigerians.

He told Nigerians to continue to be more patient with the APC administration, saying the harsh economic hardship being faced by Nigerians was a global phenomenon.

Masari added, “I am in APC today, tomorrow and always because I am not in the party for any political position or appointment.”

The former Speaker charged all APC loyalists to propagate the good works and ideals of the party while pleading with people to take any shortcoming as a human error.

Speaking at the occasion, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Political Matters, Ibrahim Kabir-Masari, urged APC members across all divides to close ranks and work assiduously to ensure the success of the party all the times.